The Seeker's Keys by Christina L. Rozelle (The Treemakers #3)

Genre: Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic
Rating: 4/5 stars

Joy, Jax, Smudge, and the others must work to find the three keys that will open up "The Wall" out of Bygonne. They continue to face tragedy and loss at every turn, and secrets are being revealed all the time. Can they find the keys and escape the hellish nightmare that has been their lives?

There is so much that goes on in this book that I feel like it could have easily been split up into multiple books. Unlike the first two, which are solely from Joy's point of view, we get to see Jax's and Smudge's POVs in this book. This ended up working well since the group is split up for a lot of the book. There is a LOT of traveling back and forth to and from the Refuge. They return to some familiar places and must also go to new, terrifying places. Much is revealed about the technology and history of Alzanai and Bygonne in general. The group meets many new allies, including a man named Seraphim, who knew Joy's father.

This book provides a strong ending to the series, and I do feel like most of the questions were answered and the ends were tied up. Without spoiling too much, the ending was simply beautiful. The kids experienced an unreal amount of tragedy, but the ending was worth it. Jax and Joy's story in particular was wonderful -- they matured so much throughout the series. I'm normally not a huge fan of multiple POV, but I loved seeing his perspective in all of this.
This book series really still stands out as one of the most unique YA dystopian series I have read. It avoided the major "chosen one" stereotype (even though Joy was a leader-type, it didn't all depend on her). There was a love triangle, but I never mind that honestly. It wasn't riddled with zombies... Just a great story about a group of people who went through hell and back.
There are just a bit too many coincidental factors. Granted, the children, in the first book, were very isolated and knew almost nothing about their world, but this last book was sort of an explosion of technology appearing suddenly to save them, puzzles being solved by chance, and other things happening at JUST the right time to be convenient for the plot. In particular, the ability to talk in each other's minds via the 5R11s -- it was a really cool thing to use when Joy was in Alzenai with Zee (although even then I truly thought it was awfully convenient.) In this book, it seemed like they were literally handing out the 5R11s like candy. Then this mind speak/control was somehow extended so they could use the reapers as well. It just seemed like a bit much. Things tied together a little TOO nicely if that makes sense. Another thing that kind of bothered me was the dialogue. It seemed a little stale/artificial. It was a constant back and forth of explanations and sort of mundane chatter about plans they were executing. I feel like a lot of that superfluous stuff could have been eliminated or summarized and it would have made the book shorter. They also kept blowing sunshine up Joy's nose about how she was SO amazing and was going to save them all. They did that with a few of the characters actually. That got a bit old. It was also a syrupy at times. I honestly love Jax and Joy's relationship and was ridiculously happy when she finally chose to be with him. <3 I was less of a fan of Smudge in general, but I thought her and Johnny's relationship was sweet. But some of their interactions seemed too saccharine.
I was also confused by some of the technology in the book. Even with them talking about it over and over it was still kind of hard to wrap my mind around. There was a ton of new information in this book that was a little hard to absorb.
One of the parts of the book I really enjoyed was the Old World transfer program with Vila and Jax, partly because it helped explain a little more about why the world was the way it was. It was also just kind of a fun change of pace.

I know I will be suffering from a bit of a book hangover for a few days :-) Good books/series will do that to you! I am super excited about the prequel that is coming out in 2020. I'll be one of the first in line to preorder for sure!

Purchase HERE

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (Book 3: Dresden Files)

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Something is stirring up the spirit world. Ghosts are becoming bolder, nightmares are breaking into people's minds, and the lives of the people in Chicago are in danger. After dealing with a baby-murdering ghost in a hospital, Harry learns that something is causing the veil between the Nevernever and the real world to become weakened. He has to figure out how and why it is being done so that he can put a stop to it. In the meantime, he must deal with the ghost of a particularly vindictive demon that he and his posse killed some time ago. Harry must also deal with the Red Court vampires at the same time. His friend Michael and his family, Murphy, and several others are in grave peril unless the veil can be restored and the nightmares tamed.

I enjoyed this book because it is the first time we really get to see what the "Nevernever" is like. Dealing with ghosts and spirits is quite frightening actually, and the terror that Harry, Murphy, and the others experience is easily felt in these pages. It's very interesting to me that even demons can leave behind ghosts. I loved the introduction of Michael in this book -- I found his over-the-top righteousness to be a humorous foil for Harry at times, but I didn't find Michael's character to be annoying or irritating in any way. I'd honestly love to see more of him.
The politics with the vampire courts was honestly very confusing to me, and the plot of this book kept getting more and more complicated as the book went on (it was a little hard to keep it all straight at the end.) I find it irritating that Harry gets into so much trouble by defending innocent lives, when the vampires are clearly totally in the wrong, despicably evil. Lea is an absolutely fascinating character. I know Harry sort of hates her, but I find her actions interesting. What happens to Susan in this book is pretty sad, and I look forward to seeing if/how that resolves.

Love this series!

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher (Book 4: Dresden Files)

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars

Harry has been in a funk since Susan left, spending most of his time in his lab trying to work out a cure for vampirism. He isn't eating, sleeping, or taking care of himself well--nor is he working enough to pay the bills. The White Council comes to town to figure out what to do about the Red Court, which has officially declared war on the wizards (largely due to Harry's actions at Bianca's event in the last book). Harry manages to avoid being condemned but must figure out a way to secure an alliance of sorts with the Winter queen, Mab... who just happens to now be in possession of the contract he once had with Lea. Mab wants him to solve a murder for her. To make matters even more complicated, someone from Harry's past shows up unexpectedly. Can he figure out how to fulfil his end of the bargain with Mab, stay in the good graces of the Council, and stay alive?

In this book, we delve deeper into the world of Faerie. I have read a few books dealing with the Fae (such as Karen Marie Moning's Fever series) and I enjoy the lore of this species. I like how the Faeries have shown up in this series so far, and it was nice to have a whole book dealing with them. I did find some of it to be a little confusing and complicated, and the whole weakness for iron thing always seems kind of silly to me, but I really enjoyed it anyway. I will be interested to see what Mab's next two requests are. It WAS incredibly dumb of Harry to agree to her three requests, but I know there was no other option for him. He was worn down and exhausted at the time. Here is hoping things get better for him in the next few books. His decision making skills have not been great lately.
One of the things I love about these books is how multi-dimensional they are. There are always so many plots and storylines going on at once, some obviously weaving together and some not. It's always amazing to me how things tie together in the end and how things carry over into the next books. This series was obviously well planned out, and I appreciate that. I am developing quite a fondness for characters like Karrin Murphy, Billy and the other werewolves, and even Morgan the Warden. The writing is spectacularly witty.

I have absolutely devoured these books so far, and I know I will love the next 11 + books in the series. <3

Purchase HERE

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4.5 stars
(Audible)

Sir Henry Baskerville comes to visit Sherlock Holmes to ask for protection against an ominous threat. He has just inherited the Baskerville estate after his relative, Charles Baskerville, died from some sort of grim attack. While in London, Henry receives a note telling him he is in danger. Weirdly, several of his boots go missing, and Holmes and Watson discover that he is being followed by someone. Watson decides to travel with Henry to the estate, while Homes stays behind because of other, more pressing, business.
When they arrive, Watson is enchanted by the moor surrounding the estate, and he spends some time walking it and meeting the residents in an attempt to figure out what happened. People keep mentioning a hound, and he hears howling several times. To make matters more complicated, there is an escaped criminal on the moor somewhere. He writes letters to Holmes to keep him up to date on his discoveries. Watson is not sure who to trust, and keeping Henry safe proves to be a bit more challenging than he first anticipated...

I somehow have avoided spoilers for this book for my entire life, and so I was pretty thrilled to get to listen to this on Audible and experience the story that way. The narrator is terrific, and the story has that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle flair that makes it quite entertaining. It has that certain English charm to it with the somewhat boring and mundane details being hashed out. I haven't read too many of the Sherlock Holmes stories, but I liked how this one was a bit longer, and there were certainly quite a few twists and turns throughout the book. The mystery got explained in great detail at the end, which was both interesting and also a little annoying. But I really enjoyed this book and will probably read/listen to the other stories at some point.

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher ( Book 2: Dresden Files)

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars

This series is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorites. In this installment, Harry must deal with an influx of werewolves... and not just one kind. He learns from Bob about all the different kinds of werewolves and how to deal with each. He barely manages to escape with his life multiple times, and he has to deal with Murphy being upset with him for keeping secrets from her. Things heat up with Susan as well.
The main thing I love about this series, as I have said before, is how much of a hot mess Harry is. He isn't cocky. He isn't a stick in the mud. He isn't boring. He is goofy, but in a totally non-annoying way. The way he thinks about things is very amusing. I really enjoy reading these books. They are light and fun in some ways and dark and ominous in other ways -- a perfect blend. The one thing that I can see might become an issue in this series is how often he nearly dies or runs out of energy. He somehow always manages to scrape by no matter how exhausted or wounded he is, which does come across as a little unrealistic. But hey, it's fiction!
I'll be reading the rest as soon as I can get my hands on them!

Purchase HERE 

The Soultakers by Christina L. Rozelle (The Treemakers Book #2)

Genre: Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic
Rating: 5/5 stars

Joy and the others are getting settled in Zentao, which Smudge has told Joy is an underground augmented reality. The threat of being attacked is real, and Joy has a few days to come to terms with the shocking news of her pregnancy. While she is getting closer to Mateo, she also still has feelings for Jax. When tragedy strikes and they must make an escape, they lose loved ones and Joy ends up in a place she did not expect...
I read the first book in this series quite a while ago and was impressed with the story. It is a very unique dystopian/post apocalyptic series, and I found the book to be very engaging. I have no idea why I waited so long to pick up the second one! This book really sort of blew me away. First of all, it's quite gritty and dark--I love that about it. So many times when I read books I get the impression that the author was holding back as they wrote or something so as to not offend people's sensibilities (and for traditionally published books, there is certainly a lot of censorship that goes on). There are a lot of truly disturbing things that happen in this series, and while it means that this book is probably not suitable for children, it does make for a powerful story. The characters are broken down and put through the ringer over and over again, but they are overcomers. They don't have that hero complex that so many authors want to insert. It's just a thrilling story of survival and family. The setting is rich, and I feel like the way things unfold makes the book very engaging. I can't quite follow everything, and not everything makes total sense to me logically (like for example, Lord Daumier wants "Lilly" to be both fearful of him but also act like she's happy to marry him. I don't really understand how that's possible... It seems like two totally different demeanors.) A lot of the AOAI stuff makes my head spin, and sometimes it all seems a little too convenient, but I love what it adds to the story.
I LOVE this author's work, and I will definitely be investing in more of her books. <3 I have already started on book three. I can't wait to see what happens!

Purchase HERE

The Black Trials by Tara Benham

Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 4.5 stars

Fanya has just turned sixteen and is about to complete the government mandated trials for entering adulthood. She, like every other sixteen year old headed to the training center, knows little about what will happen. When she gets there, she is surprised to discover that she has extra tasks to complete, and people keep telling her that she is "special" and she "thinks differently" than everyone else. After completing what is called "The Black Trial" (an additional task almost no one else has to do) she is scheduled to face three of her worst nightmares. Can she survive the nightmares-come-to-life? If she does, what does the government have in store for her?

I'm always up for a good dystopian novel, and this one certainly keep me guessing. It was full of little twists and turns and unexpected things. It got really exciting when they sent her off to the location of her nightmare trials. That part was delightfully creepy -- like some kind of horror movie! I feel like I would be spoiling the book to remark on too much more, but I really did enjoy this book a lot. It is a quick read, and it's fairly unique. It does remind me of the Maze Runner series a bit, and it's always just a little frustrating to read books that end on cliffhangers, but I will definitely be picking up the next book. The "chosen one" trope is not my favorite (and I was getting sort of irriated at EVERYONE blowing sunshine up Fanya's nose about how she was so "special") but I thought the book was enjoyable despite that, and I understand that things aren't always as they appear. There is much that will be revealed later, I am sure!

Purchase HERE: 

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
(Listened on Audible)

In this installment of the Outlander series, Jamie and Claire are busy homesteading and have been joined by Brianna and Roger. Briana has a son, and due to an incident with a sleazy smuggler, they are not certain who her son's father is. Bree and Roger are married, and they spend some time with Jamie's aunt Jocasta and River Run in Cross Creek. Jocasta is to be married to a man by the name of Inness Duncan, and her marriage is a big to-do in this particular area of North Carolina (and not just because she has at least one rejected suitor who causes trouble for her.) Jocasta wants to make Brianna her heir (since Jamie refused in the last book), but Briana wants no part in it. Brianna and Roger are uncertain if they want to go home (and are not sure they will be able to with the baby anyway.) Young Ian becomes a part of a Mohawk tribe, and we are not sure if and when we will see him again. Jenny has a hard time forgiving Jamie for "losing" her youngest son, and Jamie struggles with her unforgiveness. Claire dabbles in making some homemade antibiotics and attempts to help the people as best she can with her limited resources as a doctor. Fergus and Marsali build their family. The Revolution is brewing, and Jamie and the men are called to action, although the result of this is fairly anticlimactic. Plenty of shocking events transpire, including murder, arson, near-death experiences (for a few of the main characters), mystery solving, and plans gone awry. There is a little bit of everything in this book. Overall, this is a very entertaining and interesting book that gives a unique insight into the time period.

This series has evolved quite a bit since book one. We are no longer in the charming and exotic Scottish highlands. We are in North Carolina, and Jamie and Claire and their families are in the process of settling the area, so this book has more of a "Little House on the Prairie" feeling.
Thinking back over this book, there are SO many memorable moments. As others have mentioned, there's not really a strong overall plot to this book except for the undercurrent of brewing war and the fact that Stephen Bonnet keeps reappearing to cause trouble. It does, in some ways, feel like a "filler" book, but the adventures and emotions are wonderful. I really haven't liked Brianna throughout the series (I never could quite forgive her for how she treated Claire when she found out about Jamie), and I didn't really care much about Roger in the last few books, but they have definitely grown on me. Brianna is a bit younger than Claire was when the series began, and she is of course a totally different person with a different upbringing. Her choices are often times puzzling to me, and I find myself getting irritated at her. I have to remind myself that it's okay for her not to be a carbon copy of Claire. She has had quite a bit of character growth, and I do look forward to seeing where her story goes. I normally don't care for POV switching in books, and we have gotten so used to hearing things from Claire's perspective that it was a bit odd at first, but I ended up enjoying it. I was sad to see less of Fergus, Lord John Grey, Jamie's son, and a few of the other characters. There are also quite a few new characters who were difficult to keep track of.
As a note: Can I just say that I really DON'T like Jenny? She seems to just get more unreasonable with each book! I can sort of understand some of the things she does, but she comes across mostly as mean, unforgiving, and hard to deal with.

The paranormal aspect of this book really stuck out in a few places. When Claire sees Ottertooth's ghost, I was legitimately creeped out. I also thought the whole part with the woman killing her abusive husband was disturbing. And in the end, when they open the mausoleum, I was really shocked at what was revealed!

Yes, the book is long, and yes, there are certainly quite a few superfluous scenes and details. That is simply the style of the writing though. I choose to listen to this series on Audible, and so, as I have stated in previous reviews, it's sort of like spending time with old friends to read about Jamie, Claire, and the others. It's an immersive experience. I truly don't mind the "mundane" aspects of the book. The slow burn of the story is part of what makes this series beautiful. It took me about nine months to listen to this book on Audible. She could make the books shorter, no doubt, but that would take away a lot of the charm. The "meat" of the book could be described as "boring," but I honestly did enjoy almost every single bit of it (of course, the narrator, Davina Porter, is amazing). The last ten or fifteen or so chapters were quite gripping. It's not that there were any bombshell revelations like in past books, but I can tell that the author worked hard to really engage readers so they would pick up the next book. (It totally worked for me!) I won't spoil the ending for anyone, but one particular person's reappearance made me really happy, and there were two or three other "jaw-dropping/gasping out loud" moments in the last part of the book.

Purchase HERE

Where There's Murder There's Mystery anthology

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: (Average = 3.8 -> 4 stars)


This anthology consists of five short stories: 
Modus Operandi by Marsha Black
Lies Aren't Forever by Linda Burson
Haunting Memories by Hunter Marshall 
Absent Aberration by Jessica Ozment
Deadly Delivery by Steve Wilhelm


Modus Operandi
Rating: 3 stars
Bianca Wilson's coworker is murdered by a serial killer who carves into his/her victim's flesh. She waits one year before asking to be put on the case and then gets to work piecing together the facts of the case. As she gets closer to the truth, she begins to receive threatening notes from the killer, warning her to back off. Can she figure out who it is before it's too late?
The premise for this story is fairly interesting, and the drive and determination of the main character is admirable. I didn't have much trouble figuring out who the "bad guy" was, but there was a certain creepy factor that came along with figuring out who it was. The editing on this story needs a lot of work, and the story could have been much shorter if all of the "eating" scenes were left out. In fact, each scene/chapter seemed the same after a while.

Lies Aren't Forever
Rating: 3.5 stars
Russell Stewart has been happily married to Betsy for a few years...until one day when a blonde woman, Tiffany Bell, from his past comes around saying some shocking things. Russell used to have a different name and a different life, and Betsy confronts him about his past. After learning about his tumultuous history, they hire Cammy Clemons, a PI, to help them with the situation. Russell must play a role to appease Tiffany. Can he finally be free of her and her father?
If you like twisty dramas, this story is for you! There was a lot of crazy and unexpected stuff that happened. The characters seemed to not blend together too much (I especially thought Tiffany was a very unique and interesting person. Her speech patterns and behavior were different.)  
This story read like a transcript/screenplay (it was dialogue heavy, and the present-tense, third-person narration was just odd). The drama in this story was at times unbelievable (as in, it's actually difficult to suspend disbelief that people actually act like they do in this story.) The wife, Betsy, who is heavily involved in the first part, disappears entirely for the rest of the story and only appears at the very end. There weren't too many errors/typos in the story, which was refreshing!

Haunting Memories
Rating: 4 stars
Axel has moved back to his hometown after many years to work on a cold case -- a girl named Clarissa was found stabbed in a haunted house, and the killer was never found. He is assigned to work with Blaire, his old girlfriend. When they are reunited, it is like nothing has changed, although Blaire has an ex-husband and a son. As they spend the next few months working on the case together, they grow closer, but both are worried that things will fall apart after the case is closed. Can they solve the murder and remain together?
This story is a mix between romance and mystery. It kind of reads like a Hallmark movie.
I liked the inclusion of a haunted house and the "story within a story" about Aubrielle and her husband and children. There were odd inconsistencies/errors/other things that made this story interesting. There were spelling inconsistencies as well as timeline inconsistences (was Blaire 27 or 29? How could the twins be the same age as Blaire and Axle if they were born in the 60s? Is it Kerrigan or Kerrian?) The narration included some head-hopping, which can be jarring. I had a hard time understanding why the story was stretched out over three months or so. The setting was pretty cool though. I liked the "cowboy" feel of the story. 
This is a neat story for people who like contemporary romance. 

Absent Aberration
Rating: 4.5 stars 
When her brother goes missing in Alaska while working on a cold case, Maranda travels to Alaska in an attempt to figure out what happened. She stays in the same resort he did and plans to go through the evidence left behind and travel to a cabin where he was supposed to be headed. The weather disrupts her plans, leaving her essentially stranded in the hotel. She meets strange people and is warned not to trust anyone. Can she find out what happened to her brother before the killer gets her? 
I really enjoyed this story. It was written well and was full of suspense and mystery. Maranda was a likeable character, and the scenes from her brother's perspective made it all the more thrilling and interesting. The setting was great: an isolated resort in the wintertime in Alaska. The nearly empty hotel and the Stepford-wife-esque treatment was a fun and almost creepy aspect. I was a little confused by the ending, but the story was enjoyable to read!  

Deadly Delivery
Rating 4 stars
Chris Jakoby is a courier who has just picked up a package containing something shocking--information on an assassination. He struggles with what to do about it until his deadline is over, and then the client comes after him for breaching their agreement. Chris is on the move, trying to get as far away as possible, but his pursuers seem to always be one step ahead. Can he finally be free of them?
This story was very engaging. It was certainly exciting and gritty. There is more killing and language in this story than the others, which I liked! The main character is male, and his thought processes throughout the story are interesting to read about. He's on the run and isn't sure what kind of technology the bad guys have at their disposal, so it forces him to get creative about what he does. There was a little bit of a romance twist at the end, and then the story ended on a cliffhanger. Overall, a really fun story. I would probably have liked it better if it would have resolved. 

Purchase this anthology HERE

Shades of Betrayal by Jill Ramsower

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Romance
Rating: 3.5/5 stars 

I enjoyed the Fae Games duet, which features primarily Rebecca (that is, the story is told from her POV only.) Ashley, her friend and roommate appears in both books, but her storyline is definitely not a focus of those books. Shades of Betrayal is written in a dual POV, focusing on Ashley and Michael, one of the members of the Hunt. It covers from before the defeat of Morgan to a few months after and involves Rebecca quite a bit less.

The dual POV definitely gave this book a different feel, and it had more of a "contemporary romance" feel than the Fae Games duet. Ashley is a different kind of Fae than Rebecca, so it is interesting to see how she deals with the transition--discovering her powers, learning how to "feed" her magic, etc. Ashley is very different than Rebecca. She seems independent and stronger willed in some ways. The "push and pull" between her and Michael made for quite a lot of drama. I feel like most of the book was fairly predictable. I spotted the main villain almost instantly. There was one thing that surprised me near the end, but not much time was spent on it. I would have liked to see more scenes in Faery (and more "intrigue" and "fantasy" scenes in general.) The first chapter was very interesting! Learning about Michael and his past was really cool. I also enjoyed some of the parts where he (and Ashley) go around town trying to catch the Unseelie who is preying on women. The "mystery/investigation" feel was great in those parts. It did seem to jump around a bit, and I'm not a fan of dual POV because it tends to get somewhat repetitive jumping back in time to explore the same interaction from the different points of view. It does give you a deeper insight into what's happening though (how people say/act one way but really feel totally different.)

Overall, I like the duet better since it has more of a urban fantasy feel than a romance feel. If you love reading romance novels, you will probably love this book! One thing that's great about this series is that each book really is very unique. They all add something a little different to the universe, and the characters and storylines don't get blurred together/start feeling formulaic like happens in other series sometimes. 

Purchase HERE

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Book 1: Dresden Files)

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars +
I can't believe I waited so long to start this series. I have heard quite a few people recommend it throughout the years, so I bought a copy and set it aside. I am more than blown away by this book and am now eagerly searching for hardcover copies of each book in the series.
I was truly hooked from the first page. The wit and pace of this book is truly terrific. Sometimes books that are supposed to be funny and witty come across as pretentious and annoying. But Harry Dresden isn't annoying. Reading this book was honestly a totally delightful experience. I would have finished it in one sitting if I would have had the time to do so. It's very engaging and, even with the dark content it has, almost lighthearted. Harry Dresden is unlike many protagonists I have encountered. He sort of comes across as a hot mess. He's not a billionaire. He doesn't possess any truly staggering supernatural abilities. He seems down to earth, approachable, and fun.
The supernatural elements of this book are not terribly unique, but the world is rich and I am eager to learn more about it. I am looking forward to reading more about the White Council, the Nevernever, and other things he mentioned but we didn't truly get to see. From what I hear, the series only just gets better and better, and I am already a total fan. 
This is one of my FAVORITE books this year! 
Purchase HERE

Twilight Siege by Jill Ramsower

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 stars

I enjoyed the first book in the series, although it was a bit slow and was more of a setup for things to come. This book was better than the first. The first part was similar to the first book, but things got exciting in the last half. Becca is transitioning from human to fae and must deal with the consequences of that (like figuring out how to feed to maintain her powers). She is also pulled into a war she isn't prepared for. Things heat up with Lochlan, and the druids have more of a presence in this book. I particularly appreciated that they travel outside the human realm more in this book. Becca learns more about her powers and meets a variety of new, interesting people--friends and foes.

I am eager to read the next installment (Shades of Betrayal, about Ashley) now that I have read this one. The writing does seem to be improving from one book to the next! I have enjoyed the series. 

Purchase HERE

Beneath the Whispers by Jim Ody

Genre: Thriller 

Rating: 4 stars 

This book is just about the perfect length! I was able to comfortably read it in one day, which is difficult to do with kids and life :-) It did get off to a slow start, but I think in the case of a book like this, that is key. It got more and more interesting as it went on, and the ending was totally unexpected (in true Jim Ody fashion.) Ody has a delightful wit and sense of humor that makes reading the book enjoyable. The main character was kind of irritating, but I'll tell you what, some of the things he says resonate right in your core. I was crying by the end of chapter 11.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author. :-)
Purchase HERE

Island Life Sentence by Carrie Jo Howe

Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
Rating: 3 stars 

This book is a bit outside my normal genre, but I decided to try it anyway.
Peg is a forty-something woman who has just moved to Key West "with" her husband Clark. They recently sold a business and have a bit of money coming in, so neither has to work. But as soon as they get there, Clark leaves for a consulting job in Cuba, promising he'll be back in a few weeks.
Weeks turn into months, and Peg is having a really tough time acclimating. The weather is totally different, and she keeps encountering crazy problems. Her best friend Trudy visits her but ends up leaving in a Med-chopper.

Overall, this was a light, enjoyable read. I do feel like the majority of the wit and humor didn't quite reach me. Maybe it was because the main character is so totally different than me. She has no children but treats her dog like her child. She is used to Chicago, not the southern humidity. I never could quite relate to her. Now, her friend Trudy on the other hand was a pretty enjoyable character! I found her to be interesting from the first time she appeared in the book. 
SPOILER:
I also found it quite funny that Trudy hated Clark from the very beginning. It was pretty clear from the beginning that Clark was cheating, and I think her attitude toward him provided good clues for that.
END SPOILER
I did feel for Peg as the book went on. Things that were truly out of her control kept happening, so it's not like she brought her problems on herself. She does come across as a little ditzy though.


This would be a good read for people who are a bit closer to the age of the main character I think.
Not a bad read overall. 

Purchase HERE

Real Heroes by Alan Greenwood

Genre: YA

Rating: 4

Mark is a troubled delinquent teen from Hobbs, NM with a stoner father a dead twin brother, and an absent mother. He gets caught one day stealing and leads the police right to his house, where they arrest his father on drug charges. Mark gets sent to a reform camp of sorts in Puerto. He makes immediate plans to run away but gets caught. As he serves his time, he makes new friends. But the losses of his life soon become overwhelming, and he has to learn what it means to be a real hero.


This book is a quick read -- less than 200 pages. The pace is slow, but it gave me a feeling of peacefulness as I was reading. Mark really isn't that bad of a kid. It's very easy to see how the circumstances of his life and the people he should be able to count on have really damaged his ability to make good choices, and this is something he learns and takes responsibility for over the course of the book.
I was pleasantly surprised at some of the "side stories" that were woven throughout this book. It's not all from Mark's POV. There's a bear who lives near the camp whose story is actually really tragic and elicited some emotions from me. The Tim character was fun to read about. There is kind of a surprise "villain" near the end that I did NOT guess correctly. The story itself isn't super suspenseful, but it's written in such a way that you want to follow Mark on his journey. Without spoiling anything, this book deals with the topic of loss very heavily and doesn't have a particularly happy ending, but the messages are solid and the emotions are strong.

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The Silver Thief by L.J. Clarkson (Book 0.5 in the Mastermind Academy series)

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Rating: 4.5

I read the Mastermind Academy books 1-3 before this and enjoyed them thoroughly. One of the things I love the most about the series is the creativity and beauty of the world. The technology is so fun, and the characters are all very lively and interesting. I was very excited to read this book because Boldrick and Esme are my favorite characters from the main series, and this book didn't disappoint. The tone was slightly different but in a great way. This book focuses on Esme's ASA training and how she and Boldrick became friends. This is my favorite of L.J. Clarkson's books so far! 

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The Silver Skull by L.J. Clarkson (Book 3 in the Mastermind Academy Series)

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rating: 3.5
It has been a while since I read the first two in this series, but I remember feeling sort of enchanted with the overall world and cast of characters. I thought I would pick this up for a light read in-between some larger books.
I did like this book, but as other reviewers have said, it had sort of a different feeling than the others. I really liked getting to see things from Boldrick's perspective. I think he and Esme are probably my favorite characters. I was disappointed that things go so poorly between Isabelle and Lyandra in this book, and I was disappointed to not see that resolve. I like her new friend Rega, and the bodyguard added some fun too. I am still loving the technology and magic aspect of these books! It's very creative. I thought the thing with Bianca at the end was odd and sort of came out of nowhere. I wish we would have seen a better resolution to the whole book, but cliffhangers certainly aren't the end of the world! I haven't seen an indication that book five is on its way anytime soon though. :(
Not a bad book. There were some odd inconsistencies/errors and it did seem like all the characters were kind of all over the place emotionally. I will probably end up reading the Christmas book and the prequel about Boldrick since I like him a lot! 

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Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5 stars

I've had this book recommended to me so many times by so many people. I finally got the time to sit down and read it. Reading this book was certainly a very pleasant experience. I was one of those people who was under the impression that geisha were essentially high-class prostitutes, so I am glad I read this book because I learned a LOT!
The characters were all interesting because the culture, of course, that time and place was so different from America in 2018. The way things are described is beautiful, and I was able to paint a wonderful picture in my mind of Gion and other areas of the book (especially her hometown).
I particularly liked the character of Nobu. He was much different than everyone else, and I found myself laughing at what seemed at first like cynicism and grumpiness. But really, he was just not buying into the whole geisha thing. And after a while, I sort of began to agree with him. I do understand the system a little better now, but I don't think I will ever be able to appreciate it fully. They are essentially entertainers, but it's semi-sexual even though they are NOT prostitutes. It's a little confusing to me why they would be of such value and these men would pay so much money to see their favorites. Buying one's virginity makes more sense (even though it's atrocious) as does the paid mistress thing (dannas). Some of the scenes near the end with Nobu, the Chairman, and the Minister made it all make slightly more sense. They seemed to play some fun games and sit around and relax and drink and have fun. I guess I just don't understand why it was all so fancy and structured. Is it because "normal" women had better things to do like take care of house and kids? It came across as unnecessarily hedonistic and wasteful. Anyway, I suppose that's the point of the book--to introduce foreign ideas to us.
One of my only complaints with this book is that the Translator's Foreword gave me the impression that this book was based on a true story. I understand that was the intention, and it definitely affected how I read the book (I agree that it wouldn't have been as good if I hadn't thought Sayuri was a real person.) If I'm being honest, I felt a little manipulated and disappointed in the end though. The story itself was engaging enough, although I felt like the ending was less interesting than the first part of the book, and it wasn't quite as satisfying as I was hoping. Sayuri seemed to lack a certain drive, and I can understand why that might be (she felt trapped and just did what she had to do.) Nobu (a bright spot in the book) also pointed out her lack of drive. I kept feeling like the things that happened to her were mostly due to luck (and the big reveal at the end made things more clear, but I still felt as though Sayuri sort of just floated through life).
Although I did like how the Chairman was weaved throughout the story, I never really quite understood Sayuri's obsession with him. He seemed nice enough, but I felt like their time together at the end was sort of rushed. (I suppose that was due to a lack of conflict. Things were so wonderful at that point it would have been boring.)
I loved Mameha and hated Hatsumomo, and the storylines with Nobu and Pumpkin really did elicit some feelings of sadness and regret. (I was honestly very irritated with Sayuri for how she treated Nobu, although I can understand her position. The heart wants what the heart wants.)
This book was definitely thought provoking, and I am glad to have read it!

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Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Genre: Dystopian/Sci-Fi
Rating: 5 stars+

There's so much to say about this book, and overall it will definitely be going down in history as one of my favorite books of all time. I read a lot of dystopian, and this one stands out for a major reason: the "horrifying" aspects of society (they don't value books, they are addicted to their technology, etc.) are not only things that are so clearly happening now, they have also been caused by the gradual decay of society more than any one totalitarian regime.
Most modern dystopian novels present a dreary future that has been largely brought about by some kind of power play that may or may not exploit the current cultural atmosphere (it's certainly easier to take over when your propaganda plays into how many people already feel.) This book, though, reminds me that the heart of our issues is not some kind of big, bad brother but the nature of humanity itself. This is a classic theme in literature that I don't think is brought up quite enough. We love to blame our problems on other people -- whether it's another person/group or the government. But really, the very core of all humans is selfishness and greed. Our problems are natural and we have to constantly struggle to make things peaceful.
In Fahrenheit 451, the people have largely willingly given up books because it makes them happier. They don't like feeling emotionally or mentally agitated. It's a hedonistic culture, and they are so drowning in their pleasures that they don't care about the world around them or about the fact that are shallow, useless people. This is certainly happening today, although I don't actually believe that books will ever really become this hated. I could be wrong though. My circle is almost entirely composed of people who LOVE books. Authors, readers, editors, etc. That's the one weakness I think of this book is that I honestly can't imagine how a culture could decay so much that they don't want books. YES they stir things inside you, but that's precisely why they are wonderful. They help us understand ourselves and the world better. They may make us sad and upset on one page, but then they will lift us up and make us laugh and nod our heads on the next page. I actually cannot fathom HOW people couldn't see their value. I was very surprised one day when I was talking to a friend about my lifelong goal of owning a bookstore. He said it was a stupid idea and that books are becoming obsolete. It's a tragic thought and truly unbelievable to me personally, but I hope I least don't see that happen in my lifetime. 
Anyway, I love not only the story but also the writing style of Bradbury. It's somewhat whimsical and witty, but also full of profound truths. I think Beatty's character was absolutely fascinating although he was the antagonist. His commentary on how the firemen came to be is thought provoking. Bradbury's social commentary is very subtle, which I appreciate, and it transcends labels or party lines. He himself said that he didn't ever wish to identify as a Democrat or Republican, Communist or Socialist.
The version that I read is the 60th Anniversary Edition with an introduction by Neil Gaiman. About a third of the book is additional commentary on the book itself -- a history of how the story came to be and introductions and reviews written by notable people throughout the years. I would recommend this specific version to anyone interested in the book because the extras made the experience only that much better.
There's so much to say about this book! I loved it and think everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime. I also plan to get an audiobook version because the story is simply beautifully told. This is one I will definitely reread (and I rarely reread books actually) I will be adding as many of Bradbury's books to my bookshelf as possible. <3  

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Containment by Virginia Johnson

Genre: Dystopian/Sci-Fi
Rating: 3.5 stars

I really love dystopian/sci-fi, and Virginia Johnson's books are always very interesting, so I jumped at the chance to read this one. First of all, the premise is really wonderful. There are an unknown number of subjects in some sort of biodome that appears to be run entirely by AI. They wake every day with an objective/choice and have the entire place to themselves. There are different environments within the biodome, and everything appears to be self sustaining, but the subjects can presumably be as involved as they want with taking care of plants and animals. It is mentioned a few times that procreation is one of the goals of this setup, although the subjects in the book do not encounter each other within the biodome (so maybe it's based on insemination?). They are humanity's last hope, and the Kepler project (which is written about in another great book by Ms. Johnson) is mentioned to have failed.
There were a few things that I was very confused about that made it difficult to fully appreciate this book.
SPOILERS
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The torture scenes specifically were confusing. The story starts out with the main character (John) performing some sort of gruesome surgery on a woman (she ends up being the other main character Jane). There is never any reasoning behind this. It's kind of a cruel and seemingly useless surgery, and the AI or whoever is running the place brings the woman back to life day after day to be tortured again. The subjects are apparently essentially immortal, so John tries to kill himself over and over. Then at the end, he is doing surgery and actually ends up doing an abortion on the woman's baby, even though there was never any indication she was pregnant. Then somehow he believes it was just a trick at the end. I really just don't understand the purpose. Also, one of the things I was having a hard time understanding was this "choice" they kept talking about. At first I thought it was the choice to procreate. I couldn't tell if John had resisted for 97 days, and that was why they were still there, or if he agreed and he was still confined. It was more clear that Jane said "yes" to whatever question was being asked, but her conditions of captivity were the same, except that she was the one being tortured in the evenings. I was a little frustrated that those basic elements of the book never really came together and made sense to me. SPOILERS END
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This book has such a promising setup, and the worldbuilding is excellent. I wonder if I got an unedited copy though. If some of the basic story elements were a little clearer, I would have enjoyed it more. I will probably still read book two because I am hoping some of my questions will be answered.

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Loving Your Child Too Much by Tim Clinton and Gary Sibcy

Genre: Christian Parenting
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I'm always eager to read child psychology/discipline books that have a Christian perspective. I picked up this book because I sometimes get the impression from my husband that I am not "hard enough" on our children and that I need to adjust my parenting style a little differently in order to raise healthy children.
The book presents three main types of parenting that can be damaging to children: overprotection, overindulgence, and overcontrol. I was interested to know which of the three categories I fit into (if any). I was surprised to find out that I don't truly fit fully into one category. There are certain things that I do/habits I have gotten into that fall into all three categories in fact. It was helpful to read through the chapters and realize that these attitudes and behaviors were actually forms of overprotection, overindulgence, or overcontrol. I think the best thing this book has done for me is to open my eyes about some of these things. Parenting has us constantly adjusting to how we relate to and deal with our children. It's different for each child, and it differs from day to day.
(My children seem to have very easy temperaments, so we have been very blessed. I want to make sure that some of my behaviors are not going to cause them long-term problems with life and relationships though.)
About half of the book contains more general parenting advice (like how to tell what the temperament of your child is and how to adjust parenting accordingly). There seems to be a good mix of general advice and actual techniques you can use.
My only complaint with this book is that it seems just a little unorganized. I think it would have been better to have divided it up into larger sections and focused on the three O's separately. There were three chapters in middle of the book covering these parenting problems, but the rest of the chapters were all mixtures of things. It jumped around a bit, making a little hard for me to stay focused and really grasp the concepts sometimes.
I do think this book is worth reading for any parent. It has advice for a range of ages (0-18+), so it will be one parents can read a few times throughout the years as their children's needs change.

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The Death Cure by James Dashner

Genre: Dystopian/Thriller
Rating: 4/5 stars

This entire review contains spoilers, so read at your own risk.
I'm not entirely sure what I think of the way this series ended. First of all, I will begin by saying that I DID really enjoy this book. The entire series has a way of sucking you in. It's compelling and it elicits lots of emotions. This last installment was not nearly as exciting as the Scorch Trials, but I did appreciate that we at least got a resolution.
Of course, there are still things that are not entirely clear to me. I also found it a bit irritating that Thomas never got all of his memories back. It's not that I blame him. I understand that knew getting them back would only be painful, and I also understand that there was no way he was able to trust that they weren't in fact installing new, false memories into his brain instead. But still, I don't know that I could have made the decision to not get the swipe removed. Knowing things and having a good understanding of what it true/real seems too important. He never really seemed interested in conferring with the others about what they learned when the swipe was taken away from them either. Brenda was a potential wealth of information as well, and I feel like Thomas showed an odd lack of interest in speaking with her about things. Again, I can sort of understand that. I suppose it was part of his character development to sort of let go of the need to understand everything (he was very curious in the first book especially.)
I was sad about what happened with Newt, and his death seemed totally meaningless to me. Just another horrible thing that Thomas had to do/endure -- and this time it was not a variable.
I'm so torn about Teresa, and in so many ways I feel like Thomas was not fair to her after she locked him in the gas chamber in the last book. They were friends and grew up together; Thomas knew that was true from his dreams. But he became totally unforgiving toward her and never got over that. I found that truly tragic, and it was one of many frustrating and upsetting things about this book.
The main frustration of this entire series is that I still don't quite understand why this was all done. Of course I get that they were doing research of the subjects' brains and each variable was thoroughly researched and then the responses were studied, but how does that help fight a virus in the brain? Did they subject them to endless cruelty because they believed that mimicked what the virus was doing in their brains--attacking with no mercy? It's something that I will be thinking about for some time I am sure.
I am ultimately left feeling a little unsatisfied, but I will certainly read the other books in this series. I am glad that Thomas, Minho, and some of the others finally got some peace at least. To be honest, I always like Brenda better than Teresa, so I'm happy that they ended up there together. I also appreciated that WICKED was in some small way redeemed in the end. This book seriously will make the reader question everything, and that's such an awesome thing. :-)

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The King's Warrior by Frost Kay

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars

We have come a long way with Sage, Tehl, and the others. In this book, Sage has just been rescued from the Scythian warlord Zane. As she, Jasmine, and Blaise recover physically, they must also recover mentally and emotionally. Sage and Tehl are able to connect in a way they never have before, and Sam makes a huge decision regarding his future. Meanwhile, war with Scythia looms, and Sage, Tehl, and King Marq attempt to secure the help of neighboring regions against Scythia.

This is probably my favorite book from Frost Kay so far. The character development in this series is really phenomenal. I didn't really like Sage in the first few books, but this book had me totally engaged the whole way. I am beginning to understand Sage a little better, and I was happy to see her gain a little bit of stability in this book. It's very emotionally driven, and I enjoyed the experience of reading it. I really felt the emotions of the conversations in this book. The best part about this book was the relationship growth of Tehl and Sage. Sage has been through SO much - it's kind of unreal how much she has been abused -- so it has been very interesting to see how that has affected her.
I liked that there were a few more perspectives included in this book (which is weird because normally it kind of bugs me when there are too many POVs).
I'm certainly invested in this series, and I am truly looking forward to seeing how things go in the next book. 


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