Review: Three Truths and a Lie

THREE TRUTHS AND A LIE
Brent Hartinger
YA Mystery/Thriller
272 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
A weekend retreat in the woods and an innocent game of three truths and a lie go horribly wrong in this high-octane psychological thriller filled with romantic suspense by a Lambda Award–winning author.

Deep in the forest, four friends gather for a weekend of fun.

Truth #1: Rob is thrilled about the weekend trip. It’s the perfect time for him to break out of his shell…to be the person he really, really wants to be.

Truth #2: Liam, Rob’s boyfriend, is nothing short of perfect. He’s everything Rob could have wanted. They’re perfect together. Perfect.

Truth #3: Mia has been Liam’s best friend for years…long before Rob came along. They get each other in a way Rob could never, will never, understand.

Truth #4: Galen, Mia’s boyfriend, is sweet, handsome, and incredibly charming. He’s the definition of a Golden Boy…even with the secrets up his sleeve.

One of these truths is a lie…and not everyone will live to find out which one it is.

MY THOUGHTS
Three Truths and a Lie is lightning-fast read, a weekend getaway with friends turning into the stuff of nightmares with shocking speed, but despite the characters being in their upper teens, the story as a whole reads young.

It's clear from the opening chapter that Rob is talking directly to us, recounting his story in all its embarrassing and horrifying detail so that we can be witnesses to the events and share in the burden of his truth. The fact that he at times breaks from the telling of the story to address us or ask us rhetorical questions does tend to rip us from the action for that brief moment and remind us that we're reading a piece of fiction though, and we then find ourselves attempting to settle back in after we've mentally supplied an answer to his query. Rob's posing of questions also makes his voice feel younger than his seventeen or eighteen years, a feeling compounded by a more simplistic writing style and fairly straightforward murder mystery.

The fact that this one reads young wouldn't be a mark against it necessarily as it would certainly appeal to younger readers (rather than much older readers of YA like myself ;-), but there's also a heavy focus on sex, with both innuendo and fairly detailed descriptions of male anatomy thanks to Rob's ogling of both his boyfriend as well as Mia's. Rob and Liam also have sex not five feet from the dead body of one of their friends as a way to remind themselves they're still alive, something hugely off-putting for obvious reasons. With the subject matter being more appropriate for slightly older readers and the writing style seeming better suited to younger, this murder mystery finds itself in a bit of a limbo in terms of target audience and leaves us on the outside looking in.

All of that being said though, the way Mr. Hartinger brings this story full circle and links the final paragraph to the opening one is clever, adding a nice little twist that leaves us with a smile of appreciation on our faces.

Rating: 3/5

Find Brent:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: How To Hang A Witch

HOW TO HANG A WITCH
Adriana Mather
Paranormal Young Adult
368 pages
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available Now
Source: BEA

THE STORY:
Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?
 
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with the Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

MY THOUGHTS
How to Hang Witch gives us a look at how quickly mass hysteria can build and mob mentality can take over, and though it's not a story meant to be a profound examination of current affairs through the lens of the past, it's something that deeply resonates nonetheless given the tragic events around the world this year.

While we can't help but draw comparisons between the prejudice and hatred running rampant in Salem during the witch trials with that of today, this story also gives us an intriguing family curse to try and solve right alongside Sam and the mean girls clique that is the Descendants. The mystery surrounding the families with direct ties to the trials is well done, small clues given here and there to keep us interested, with Ms. Mather mixing just enough history with the paranormal to have us itching to do more in depth research once we close the back cover.

Though unraveling the family curse makes for the rapid turning of pages, older readers of YA like myself will likely find themselves needing to channel their inner teenager with regards to Sam, trying to see her fiery temper, snap judgements and impressive ability to push people away with a few cruel words through our younger eyes in order to keep from getting overly frustrated. In addition to Sam's youthful drama we also have a love triangle in which one point of said triangle is dead while the other two are living, and a group of high school girls who are a bit over the top in terms of nastiness, making it a bit hard to really settle in character-wise.

That being said though, those looking for something more story-driven than character-driven will likely appreciate this as a quick read and a fascinating take on a tragic event in our history, made even more so due to the author's direct link to Cotton Mather.

Rating: 3/5

Find Adriana:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Ruined

RUINED
Ruined #1
Amy Tintera
Young Adult/Fantasy
368 pages
HarperTeen
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

MY THOUGHTS
Ruined is a tale strong in story, with an easy flow that allows for the rapid turning of pages as we follow Em's journey to find her sister and unleash vengeance on those who murdered her parents.

Em, despite the need for revenge driving her initially and the ease with which she murders the young woman whose place she's taking, is a young woman with whom it's easy to settle in. She despises the royal family for systematically executing the Ruined and kidnapping her sister, but she easily keeps her rage in check and uses her time in the castle and with Cas wisely. She's also not so blinded by her hatred that she refuses to see the differences between Cas and his father, nor is she unable to acknowledge that neither side of their war has hands clean of blood. Her romance with Cas is thankfully insta-love free, an arranged marriage slowly shifting into a begrudging friendship and then finally genuine feelings, but we're spared the bold declarations of love that can often read as disingenuous.

While there's much to enjoy about this first installment, especially for those who just want to be entertained, many will likely take issue with the overall lack of world-building and history of the Ruined. We're given almost no backstory on Em's people other than fleeting glimpses here and there of an all-powerful queen who was a monster in the truest sense, and very little information on how the Ruined magic came to be, why no other race of people in this world possess any kind of magical abilities, or how the war between kingdoms started. Hopefully book two will delve deeper into Ruined history and highlight Em's mom in particular, as she was a special kind of nightmare who has the potential to be hugely memorable should we get to take a closer look at her.

Even with a distinct lack of history in this first book, there's still something deeply intriguing about Ruined, the crowns on both sides of the battle equally deserving of the title of villain, thereby ensuring we question who is and is not deserving of our loyalty throughout.

Rating:
Story/Characters: 4/5
World-building/History: 3/5

Find Amy:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Burning

BURNING
Danielle Rollins
Paranormal Young Adult
352 Pages
Bloomsbury Childrens
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
After three years in juvie, Angela Davis is just a few months shy of release, and she'll finally be free from the hole that is Brunesfield Correctional Facility. Then Jessica arrives. Only ten years old and under the highest security possible, this girl has to be dangerous, even if no one knows what she did to land in juvie. As strange things begin happening to Angela and her friends that can only be traced to the new girl's arrival, it becomes clear that Brunesfield is no longer safe. They must find a way to get out, but how can they save themselves when the world has forgotten them?

MY THOUGHTS
Burning is a quick and engaging read, the day to day life for Angela and her cellmates at Brunesfield drawing us in before the paranormal element even comes into play, thus forcing us to make the nearly impossible choice between getting some much needed sleep and staying up all night to see how everything plays out.

Despite the fact that Angela is one of the more serious offenders currently residing at Brunesfield, she's easy to root for from the beginning, and we quickly find ourselves counting down the days until her release right along with her. She's madly in love with her younger brother Charlie, living for the letters he sends even though her dyslexia keeps her from reading them herself, and is simply trying to keep her head down so her release date isn't pushed back once again. She's fiercely loyal to friends and cellmates Issie and Cara (and eventually Jessica), helping to to keep their spirits up by regaling them with stories late at night and managing to keep a level head on her shoulders even as the new doctor shows up and charms all the girls with promises too good to be true.

The mystery surrounding Jessica and the new doctor unfolds slowly, not so slowly as to be boring, but rather perfectly paced so we have plenty of time to question and wonder where we're being led. The only problems with this story arise in the final few chapters, loose ends everywhere left blowing madly in the breeze by the time we reach the last page to leave us with the kinds of questions that are more frustrating than delightfully intriguing. That being said however, though I haven't found any mention of this being the first in a series, it's entirely possible that is the case, and if so, the lingering questions make far more sense and undoubtedlyshift that sense of frustration to one of anticipation.

Rating:  I'm going to split my rating since it's unclear (to me) if this is going to be a series or not:)

If a standalone - 3/5
If book one in a series: 4/5

Find Danielle:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: See How They Run

SEE HOW THEY RUN
Embassy Row #2
Ally Carter
Young Adult/Thriller
336 pages
Scholastic Press
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Inside every secret, there's a world of trouble. Get ready for the second book in this new series of global proportions--from master of intrigue, New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

Grace's past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

The twists get twistier and the turns get even more shocking in the second thrilling installment of Embassy Row.

MY THOUGHTS
See How They Run returns us to Embassy Row and the life and death situations the children of politicians constantly barrel their way into, only this installment raises the stakes further as murder creates an international incident.

In the first book our protagonist Grace was in a fairly dark place, struggling to differentiate between fiction and reality with regard to the tragic death of her mother years before, and we couldn’t help but be sucked in as she drew ever-closer to the truth. With this sequel Grace has fallen even farther into darkness, the truth handing her ways to punish herself again and again, allowing her to drown in guilt while refusing any lifeline extended to her by friends and family. As a result of her determination to be solely responsible for what she uncovered about her mother’s death, she pushes everyone around her away, and that unfortunately includes us as readers.

So much of this second installment is Grace running away both literally and figuratively, retreating into herself even more than she did in this first book, and fleeing physically whenever her friends or her brother inquire after her well-being. Much of the dialogue consists of friends and family yelling “Grace!” at her back as she leaves them behind time and again, refusing to acknowledge that they could care for her after all she believes she’s done. Such a mental state, while understandable, makes it incredibly hard to really settle in with her, and we’re instead left to run up against the emotional wall she’s erected just as everyone else around her does.

Overall, See How They Run is a difficult read in terms of our main character, and while the murder and subsequent investigation succeed in grabbing our interest, Grace’s severe depression and unwillingness to accept even the smallest of comforts from her friends, brother or love interest leave us more detached from the second leg of her political journey than we otherwise might have liked.

Rating: 3/5

Find Ally:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Captive

CAPTIVE
A.J. Grainger
Young Adult/Thriller
272 pages
Simon & Schuster BFYR
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When a teen is held hostage, her efforts to escape uncover a conspiracy that forces her to question everything in this psychological thriller with a twist of forbidden romance.

They told her not to worry—
because the man who shot her father was in custody.
They told her that she was safe—
because security had been increased.

All it took was one opportunity, one breach,
and then she was theirs. Kidnapped, confined, alone.

They told her she could go home when their demands were met.
That it wouldn’t take long, because she was the prime minister’s daughter.

But it has been days, and still no help has come.

She wonders when they will tire of this game and kill her.

She cannot wait around for that to happen; she will escape. She has to.

MY THOUGHTS
Captive draws us in immediately, a quick flashback to Robyn’s father bleeding on the snow in Paris yanking us into this story before we’re flipped back to the present and the building tensions that lead to Robyn’s kidnapping.

Robyn starts out handling her kidnapping in a way we only hope we ourselves would if we were ever in her shoes, managing to stay sharp and calm as she evaluates both her kidnappers and the environment in which she’s kept. She uses every available opportunity to free herself but doesn’t take unnecessary risks, making survival her number one priority and escape her second. Her time with Scar, Feather and Talon is broken up by flashbacks to her time in Paris with her dad (who’s also the British Prime Minister), connective threads between the two events slowly but surely forming until the whole truth is revealed and Robyn finds herself having to look at her world through entirely new eyes.

While Robyn is strong, smart and beautifully level-headed in the first half of this story, the second half sees a marked slip in believability, the  realistic stress and tension of a horrific situation giving way to a more fantastical showdown between Robyn, her kidnappers and those attempting to rescue her. The romance between her and Talon (one of the people holding her hostage) is understandable for the most part–Robyn latching on to the one person who offers her the smallest of kindnesses in a life or death situation–but her affection for him leads her wildly astray in the concluding chapters. Chaos and unlikely scenarios ensue, detracting from the heart-pounding realism of the first half and leaving us wishing this thriller had ended as strongly as it started.

Overall Captive is a lightning-quick and enjoyable read, but the shift in Robyn from a savvy heroine who keeps calm under pressure to a young woman who risks everything for a boy she just met keeps this one from a higher rating.

*I think it does the first half a disservice to split the difference and give an overall rating of 3.5, so I've done separate ratings instead:)

First half: 4/5
Second half: 3/5

Find A.J.

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Anne & Henry

ANNE & HENRY
Dawn Ius
Contemporary Young Adult/Retelling
304 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him.

Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.

MY THOUGHTS
Anne & Henry is an ambitious novel, one that modernizes and condenses the truly epic relationship between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, plucking them from the annals of history and placing them in a more relatable high school environment. Unfortunately, the scope of Anne and Henry’s relationship is simply too big to fit in a contemporary YA setting, the explosive nature of their rise and fall something that gets lost in this retelling, and we’re left instead with plenty of drama minus the hard-hitting impact of the original infamous couple.

In this updated take, Anne plays the part of victim more than world-altering seductress and social climber, allowing things to happen to her rather than being a catalyst for change the way the woman herself was. Instead of fighting for Henry, claws out and masterful scheming in full effect as she attempts to usurp Catherine and win Henry’s affections, she simply waits, mildly baiting him here and there but ultimately remaining a passive player in Henry's casting aside of Catherine. The real Anne Boleyn changed the face of history in her quest to win Henry and become queen, and the force of her personality must have been something to behold in order to achieve–for better or worse–all that she did, but that fight and fire is sadly missing from the young woman splashed across the pages of this novel.

Henry, though, is more believable in his role than Anne, as fickle and impulsive as his historical counterpart, easily dismissing Catherine in favor of Anne and then turning on her just as quickly. He’s easily swayed by those around him, granting them his ear whenever they ask for it and allowing their words to settle in and take root; public opinion edging out personal preference time and again. Though he’s in a relative position of power–granted, one far less impressive than a royal throne–it’s all an illusion, and he remains a puppet bound to the strings wielded by those lined up beside and behind him.

Anne & Henry is undoubtedly well-written, Ms. Ius’s style one that flows well and keeps the pages turning with plenty of speed, and her creativity with the final parting line's nod to the real Anne’s fate beautifully executed. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are simply a couple too immense, too full to bursting with power, personality and tragedy to be reduced to high school angst, the brutality and Machiavellian conniving missing from their relationship and the petty jealousies of Henry’s peers.

Rating: 3/5

Find Dawn:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: The Heart of Betrayal

THE HEART OF BETRAYAL
The Remnant Chronicles #2
Mary E. Pearson
Young Adult/Fantasy
470 pages
Henry Holt & Co.
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

MY THOUGHTS
The Heart of Betrayal is a bit of a tricky sequel, picking up the exact moment the first book left off and continuing Lia's story without the benefit of any recap. Those (like me) for whom it's been a year in between books will likely struggle to settle in, trying desperately to recount the finer details of past events and stumbling at the mention of characters who don't ring as loud a bell in our memories as we need in order to feel emotionally invested. The fact that this second installment is a bit slower in its pace only adds to our difficulties, failing to reach out and grab us to the degree that our inability to recall certain aspects of its predecessor becomes irrelevant, instead leaving us without the anchor we so desperately need.

That being said however, Lia is still an enjoyable heroine, playing it smart while in enemy territory by using silence as a weapon, largely keeping her mouth shut and evaluating all that's shared in order to fill the dead air. She's willful when necessary though, showing the Komizar and everyone else that her spine is not lacking in steel and that she will not break as easily as they so clearly expected. When it comes to the romance, Lia's feelings are clear throughout, but the hint of a triangle remains because she must play a role in order to protect herself and the one she loves, keeping the three of them riding a razor's edge of tension that at any minute might end up cutting them all to shreds.

The main issue keeping this tale from a higher rating aside from the lack of any small reminders to help us recall book one is the fact that Rafe, Lia and Kaden are all in a holding pattern for majority of the book. Rafe and Lia spend their days in Venda waiting for Rafe's friends to sneak in and help them escape, and while we're grateful the two of them realize such an endeavor is far more than two people can handle on their own and therefore don't make any easily avoidable mistakes, we don't learn all that much as they bide their time. A few chess pieces are moved though, and the Komizar proves to be a character of depth and complexity who piques our curiosity whenever he appears on page, keeping us flipping the pages in the hopes that a little action will be waiting for us.

Overall, The Heart of Betrayal is a bit slower moving than The Kiss of Deception, a book that is a rumble of thunder on the horizon, warning us of the storm that is to come in the final installment.

Rating: 3/5

*Full disclosure: I've been in a bit of a YA reading slump of late, so this very well could have been more me than the story itself. Anyone who loved book one should definitely give this a try!

Find Mary:

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This book was sent to me by the author  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review + Giveaway: In His Keeping

IN HIS KEEPING
Slow Burn #2
Maya Banks
Contemporary Romance/Suspense
432 pages
HarperCollins
Available Now
Source: Finished copy for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Abandoned as a baby to a young wealthy couple and raised in a world of privilege, Arial has no hint of her past or who she belonged to. Her only link lies in the one thing that sets her apart from everyone else—telekinetic powers. Protected by her adoptive parents and hidden from the public to keep her gift secret, Ari is raised in the lap of luxury, and isolation. That is, until someone begins threatening her life.

Beau Devereaux is no stranger to the strange. As the head of Deveraux Security, he’s more than familiar with the realities of physic powers. So when a family friend approaches him about protecting his daughter, he’s more than ready to jump on board. What Beau isn’t prepared for is the extent of his attraction to his beautiful and powerful client. What began as a simple assignment, just another job, quickly turns personal as Beau discovers he’ll do anything at all to protect Ari. Even if it costs him his life.

MY THOUGHTS
In His Keeping is the type of romance where we have to check our inner critic at the door and prepare to accept the over the top nature of the hero and heroine's love, but even then the grandiose declarations of how they feel about one another (both via internal monologue as well as out loud) are likely to elicit an eye roll or two. The prose shifts toward purple more often than not, a heavy use of italics repeatedly emphasizing the seriousness of Beau and Ari's feelings despite the speed at which their romance develops, while long descriptive passages hammer home just how powerfully these two are capable of loving. Theirs is the soul-merging, I-will-literally-die-without-you type of love, and while a certain level of that is to be expected and desired in a romance novel, In His Keeping takes us well outside the realm of believability.

Despite the above issues, the romance between Ari and Beau is not without its highlights, sucking us in once we suspend disbelief and allow their fiercely dramatic interactions to simply bring a smile to our faces rather than push us over the edge into frustration. Ari is a damsel in distress in every sense of the word in the beginning, sheltered and coddled in order to keep her telekinesis under wraps, but she's fully aware of her lack of life experience and it's something she wants desperately to change once her greatest fear becomes a reality. She shows a great deal of growth from beginning to end, fully embracing her power and proving herself to be more asset than hindrance by the time we close the back cover.

Beau, for his part, is growly and protective in a way that only fiction can make attractive, deciding quickly that Ari is his and never once second guessing that decision. He doesn't undergo the same personal growth that Ari does, but he's still enjoyable in all his alpha-ness, and we're left with the happily ever after for the two of them that we fully expect (an of course hope for) going in. Overall, In His Keeping is pure escapism, perfect for those who love their romances on the melodramatic side, but it will likely frustrate those who are looking for intensity without the overly flowery heartfelt exchanges.

Rating: 3/5
 

Find Maya:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

• • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the generous team at HarperCollins and Sullivan and Partners, I have a copy of In His Keeping to give away to one lucky winner. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US/Canada.

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Review: Love, Lucy

LOVE, LUCY
April Lindner
Contemporary Young Adult
304 pages
Poppy
Available January 27th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

In this coming-of-age romance, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.

MY THOUGHTS
The first third of Love, Lucy is a cute escape read, allowing us to lose ourselves on the streets of Florence with Lucy as she tries to make every minute of her European vacation count before she has to return to the States. The remaining two thirds of the book see Lucy returned home, attempting to find happiness within the life parameters her overbearing father has set for her, all the while remembering her Tuscan romance with palpable longing. While Lucy’s story has its sweet moments, it remains more on the surface despite the presence of some weightier issues like family drama, sex and cheating (!), moving us along before we have a chance to really sink our claws (and our hearts) into the meat of Lucy’s life.

In additional to being more superficial overall, Love, Lucy also reads younger than we expect going in given Lucy is a freshman in college. There’s nothing hugely specific that gives the impression of a younger age, it’s more the feel of Lucy’s voice that, when combined with the fact that we don’t delve very deeply into her feelings for the people in her life, makes this story come across as better suited to younger YA readers (sex between Lucy and Jesse is mentioned on a couple occasions, but those scenes fade to black, implying they sleep together without getting into any detail.).

Lucy herself is an enjoyable heroine for the most part, standing up for herself in situations where we desperately want her to voice an objection, and showing a bit of backbone we can’t help but appreciate. Her spine of steel comes into play predominantly toward the end when things with her father reach their breaking point, but as is the case with the rest of the story as a whole, their issues are wrapped up neatly despite his cruel disregard of what she actually wants out of her life. Overall, Love, Lucy is a quick read, skimming us along the surface of Lucy’s life as she tries to sort through the cacophony of voices telling her her place in the world in search of the one that’s most important: Her own.

Rating: 3/5
 

Find April:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: The Importance of Being Alice

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ALICE
Ainsley Brothers #1
Katie MacAlister
Adult Contemporary Romance
352 pages
Signet
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Nothing about Alice Wood’s life is normal right now. Her fiancé, Patrick, called off their wedding and relationship only days before their nonrefundable wedding trip. And though a luxurious European river cruise for one is just what she needs, it’s not what she gets...

Due to a horrible misunderstanding, Alice is now cramped in her “romantic” suite with one of Patrick’s friends. Instead of cruising along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers sipping champagne with the love of her life, she’s navigating the waters with a strange—yet mysteriously handsome—British aristocrat.

An author, Elliot is just looking for some alone time to write. But his stodgy, serious self is about to be sidetracked by a woman who seems to have jumped out of the pages of a fairy tale, one who is determined to shake up his life...and include him in her own happily ever after.

MY THOUGHTS
The Importance of Being Alice has an intriguing romantic premise, our lead pair forced together in a way that promises high levels of both tension and antagonism given they have no choice but to share space with a complete stranger. A cute cover and a lighthearted synopsis only pique our curiosity further, and we can't help but dive in with anticipatory glee, ready for something sweet and funny that will leave us with a giddy smile on our faces in the end. While this story is certainly lighthearted and does have the aforementioned happy ending, a number of Alice's personality quirks keep our emotional attachment to her story at bay.

Alice is on the rebound after being unceremoniously dumped by her almost-fiance shortly before their European vacation, earning her our female solidarity from the first chapter. Though we fully support her plan to enjoy her trip despite her ex-boyfriend's seemingly casual dismissal of their two years together, her personality throughout is one that, for lack of a better description, is likely to be more of an acquired taste. She's clearly meant to be endearingly awkward with her tendency to ramble when she's nervous and her habit of talking her way through every sexual moment with Elliott, but her turn of phrase is so juvenile at times as to be downright silly rather than charming or adorable. The aforementioned talking during sex, while again likely meant to keep things light and funny, serves to make us feel all the more like voyeurs given how much is spoken aloud between them, distancing us from the most vulnerable of moments rather than making us feel as though a genuine connection is being built.

Romance readers like myself who love the build-up of a relationship over the course of the book may take issue with the speed at which both a declaration of love as well as a marriage proposal take place, occurring less than a week after they first meet. While the speed with which they fall into bed seems entirely plausible, the hasty marriage and the series of events following their less-than-entirely-legal union is a touch more than we're prepared for, taking this story more into the realm of frustratingly over the top rather than sweetly far-fetched. Overall, The Importance of Being Alice is undoubtedly well-written and has more than a few moments that have us rooting for Alice and Elliott's happiness, but unfortunately a penchant for the oddly youthful turn of phrase on Alice's part keeps us from relating to her as much as we'd like to.

Rating: 3/5

Find Katie:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Night Shift

NIGHT SHIFT
Anthology
Nalini Singh, Illona Andrews, Lisa Shearin, Milla Vane
Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
384 pages
Berkley
Available November 25th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance plunge readers into the dangerous, captivating world unearthed beyond the dark...

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh delivers a smoldering story with Secrets at Midnight , as the scent of Bastien Smith’s elusive lover ignites a possessiveness in him that’s as feral as it is ecstatic. And now that he’s found his mate, he’ll do anything to keep her.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’ novella, Magic Steals , when people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible.

From Milla Vane—a warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn't a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself.

It’s seer Makenna Frazier's first day on the job at Supernatural Protection and Investigations, and her first assignment is more than she bargained for when bodyguard duty for a leprechaun prince’s bachelor party goes every which way but right in national bestselling author Lisa Shearin’s Lucky Charms.

MY THOUGHTS
Secrets at Midnight by Nalini Singh
Ms. Singh never disappoints with her paranormal romances, and whether we’re treated to a novella or a full length book, we turn the last page utterly satisfied yet already craving more. Secrets at Midnight takes us back to fiery redhead Mercy’s family, her brother Bastien finally catching his mate’s scent and setting out to woo and win her using all the weapons in his impressive arsenal. Things of course move quickly between them given the short page length, but their romance is a sweet and sexy reminder of why the Psy-Changeling series sits on a shelf of favorites.

Rating: 4/5

Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews
Like Ms. Singh, the writing team of Ilona Andrews has a gift for writing extraordinary secondary characters, and much to our delight and glee Magic Steals thrusts two such characters into the limelight. While this novella boasts a well-plotted mystery, the true highlights are of course Dali and Jim, Dali’s understandable insecurities (given she’s mostly blind with magic that’s hit-or-miss and he’s Alpha of Clan Cat) regarding how fit a romantic partner she is for Jim making us want to reach through the pages and hug her. In our short time with the two of them though, she and Jim work through their various relationship issues, all the while solving a tangled web of a case with their individual senses of humor present and accounted for.

Rating: 4.5/5

Lucky Charms by Lisa Shearin
Lucky Charms is a laugh-out-loud novella that walks us through protagonist Makenna Frazier’s first night at her new job. A new job that includes horny (and naked) leprechauns, strip clubs, and a partnership complicated by both physical attraction and the inadvertent inhalation of an inhibition-lowering drug. Pages fly by as clothes come off (including the clothes of those who make us grateful we can see only words on a page and not the events themselves), and we reach the end ever-so ready for a full novel with Makenna and her partner Ian leading the way.

Rating: 4/5

The Beast of Blackmoor by Milla Vane
The Beast of Blackmoor is a drastic and rather abrupt change in tone from the previous novella, humor and hijinks suddenly followed up by a grittiness that wipes the lingering smile from our faces. The abruptness is in no way the fault of Ms. Vane, but her world is inescapably off-putting to a higher degree than it might have been otherwise given the order of this anthology, the multiple rapes and violence such a departure from the other three that we can’t help but struggle to find purchase. The story itself has an intriguing Beauty and the Beast-type setup with a physically and emotionally strong heroine tasked with bringing a “beast” to heel, it just takes a while longer to really settle in and adjust to the darkness.

Rating: 3/5

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This book was sent to me by the author  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Adrenaline Crush

ADRENALINE CRUSH
Laurie Boyle Crompton
Contemporary Young Adult
192 pages
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a family of risk takers and is an avid thrill-seeker herself, until the day she splinters her ankle in a terrible fall. Her whole life goes from mountain biking and rock climbing to sitting at home and attending group sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center that her hippie mother found. The boy who witnessed Dyna’s accident believes her injury is a wakeup call and he encourages her mild new lifestyle, but a young Afghanistan War veteran she meets at the healing center pushes her to start taking chances again. Forced to face the consequences of her daredevil impulses, Dyna finds herself in danger of risking the one thing she’s always treated with caution—her heart.

MY THOUGHTS
Coming in at under two hundred pages, Adrenaline Crush is a quick read, granting us a few short months in Dyna’s life before we reach the back cover and return to our reality. Shorter novels and novellas can sometimes be trickier reads simply from the standpoint that our time with characters and story is more limited, preventing us from connecting as thoroughly as we might like. Though that is certainly not the case across the board, it is unfortunately the case with Adrenaline Crush, Dyna’s journey toward physical and mental healing after her injury one we can’t help but want to explore in more detail, peeling back layers we instead gloss right over in favor of keeping forward plot momentum.

Dyna herself is a character who will perhaps go over better with a crowd closer to her age, her desire to show off in front of a cute boy driving her to make a decision that ultimately lands her in the hospital something that will likely cause older readers like myself to shake their heads in dismay. Her internal commentary in the opening chapter is slightly off putting as well, her bike ride that fateful afternoon consisting mainly of a search for a “fling” with a  “plaything” to save her from boredom. Said commentary also includes a fairy healthy appreciation for herself and her adrenaline-fueled talents, causing her to come across as immature and creating a greater character/reader gap than we had hoped for when cracking the spine.

It’s important to note that Dyna is not a terrible character in any way though, and it’s clear that the Dyna of the opening chapters is meant to leave room for growth over the course of our time with her. She continues to read a bit younger throughout however, and those who abhor cheating in any way, shape or form, should know to expect it as the bond between Dyna and Pierce starts to show her what’s missing from her relationship with boyfriend Jay. Overall, Adrenaline Crush has a great deal of potential in terms of message, Dyna’s attempts to rediscover who she is after her accident something of import, we simply aren’t given the opportunity to dig deeply into her life and fully invest in her road to recovery.

Rating: 3/5
 

Find Laurie

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Stray

STRAY
Four Sisters #1
Elissa Sussman
Young Adult/Fantasy
384 pages
Greenwillow
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn’t it?

MY THOUGHTS
Stray is a quick read, one where the flipping of pages comes swiftly and easily, but it’s also a story that keeps us as readers at a distance. The first page instantly draws us in, introducing us to a distressed and disheveled Aislynn before moving us backward in time so that we can fully see just how she came to be so precariously situated. Though we’re engaged early on, once we settle into the story we find ourselves scrambling for purchase, talk of kingdoms, wicked queens, and fairy godmothers mentioned without much context or explanation. We’re left then only with Aislynn to cling to, but without an idea of what she’s up against or how magic works in this world, it’s hard to emotionally root for her journey.

Perhaps the main issue preventing us from throwing ourselves wholly and completely into Aislynn’s social demotion from princess (of which there are apparently many, complete with a hierarchy of royal houses that is not detailed for us in any way) to fairy godmother is the fact that we’re denied reasons for why magic in this world is so feared. We’re told of a Wicked Queen, but she remains nothing but rumor–quiet whispers in dark corners–and we’re given no details as to why her use of magic has had such a profound effect on the raising of every woman in the surrounding kingdoms. We therefore feel no anxiety over Aislynn’s ability or inability to access her magic, no sense of mounting tension as we wonder if her magic will either reveal her or fail her at just the wrong time, and so the emotional threads connecting us to her predicament remain thinner than we might like.

Additionally, it’s unclear where the story itself is headed given no prominent villain, romance, friendship or foil of any kind for Aislynn presents itself to help point us in a clear direction. We’re given snippets of friendships, a touch of romance, and the barest hint of dark things on the horizon, but they all remain largely background elements as we follow Aislynn in her day to day activities at the school where she’s training to be a fairy godmother. As a result, we stay largely on the surface of Stray, longing to extend our claws and really dig so that we can uncover all the wonderful fantasy elements this story has the potential to bring to life.

We’re left on the final page much as we existed for much of the book–a bit off kilter and unsure of where we might be headed moving forward. That being said however, Stray is by no means a bad book, it’s simply lacking a bit of cohesiveness and direction to help us form the bond with characters and story that is the reason we crack a spine in the first place.

Rating: 3/5

Find Elissa:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: My Beautiful Enemy

MY BEAUTIFUL ENEMY
The Heart of Blade Duology #2
Sherry Thomas
Adult Historical Romance
304 pages
Berkley
Available now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Hidden beneath Catherine Blade’s uncommon beauty is a daring that matches any man’s. Although this has taken her far in the world, she still doesn’t have the one thing she craves: the freedom to live life as she chooses. Finally given the chance to earn her independence, who should be standing in her way but the only man she’s ever loved, the only person to ever betray her.

Despite the scars Catherine left him, Captain Leighton Atwood has never been able to forget the mysterious girl who once so thoroughly captivated him. When she unexpectedly reappears in his life, he refuses to get close to her. But he cannot deny the yearning she reignites in his heart.

Their reunion, however, plunges them into a web of espionage, treachery, and deadly foes. With everything at stake, Leighton and Catherine are forced to work together to find a way out. If they are ever to find safety and happiness, they must first forgive and learn to trust each other again…

MY THOUGHTS
My Beautiful Enemy is a second chance romance; a story that alternates between the couple's original courtship and the distance that exists between them at present as they're forced to both emotionally and physically battle their shared past. While Ms. Thomas is a gifted storyteller with the ability to write deeply layered characters, the past vs. present setup of this novel works to the detriment of the overall romance, so much time spent reliving the past with Catherine and Leighton that we don't get the opportunity to really embrace the people they've become since then. It's certainly vital to their story to understand what happened to both all those years ago, but we can't help but wish the story wasn't split quite as equally between the two moments in time and instead focused more on rebuilding what a miscommunication brutally tore down.

Part of the reason the split format of this novel is a touch frustrating is due to the fact that every intimate moment between them, aside from a few fade to black love scenes toward the end, happens in flashback. We're left then with scenes that should be full of romance and tenderness, but casting a shadow over what's taking place on page is the knowledge that at present, while we're reliving that time with them, Leighton is engaged to someone else and Catherine is haunted by his abandonment and the many losses she suffered as a result. Every time we're sucked back in time, the itch to return to the present and watch the hand of fate work is nearly overwhelming, and we find ourselves rushing through the Chinese Turkestan chapters to get back to present-day (relatively) London.

Despite the emotional distance our repeated jaunts through Catherine and Leighton's painful past causes, both Catherine and Leighton are still a couple with whom it's easy to spend a few hours. Catherine is a bit of a badass, her extensive martial arts training allowing her to throw a blade with ease, move undetected when she wishes it, and hold her own against men twice her size, and it's only too easy to smile at how much enjoyment Leighton gets out of the fact that she could either best him physically or rob him blind before he knew it. Their banter and lightheartedness in the flashbacks are a painful contrast to the coolness and insecurity plaguing their every interaction in the present, drawing us into their story even if we do find ourselves favoring one timeline over the other.

Overall, My Beautiful Enemy features an extraordinarily strong heroine and a perfectly charming hero, but the complexity of the historical aspect of the story (including hard to remember location names) combined with the lack of a true spark romantically in the present-day keeps this tale from making its way on to the shelf of favorites.

Rating: 3/5
 

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Review: Dark Metropolis

DARK METROPOLIS
Dark Metropolis #1
Jaclyn Dolamore
Paranormal-ish Young Adult
304 pages
Disney Hyperion
Available June 17th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
 
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

MY THOUGHTS
Dark Metropolis is aptly titled, the story thrusting us into a world on the brink of chaos where horrors are rationalized as necessary for the greater good of a post-war nation, and death doesn't guarantee an absence of purpose. Though the premise is deeply intriguing, reading this tale feels like starting a television series on episode five–the story itself is self-contained enough that we understand what's happening, but the larger scale of the world and how it got to the point at which we make our entrance remains far from our grasp. There's mention of magic as though it's relatively commonplace (or at the very least well out in the open in this world), but aside from Freddy's ability to revive the dead, we see no other examples of it and are given no explanation for its existence, leaving our understanding of the world surrounding our characters riddled with a number of holes.

Though the synopsis suggests Thea is our main character, working with Freddy to uncover her best friend Nan's fate, what we find when we crack the spine is a story as much Nan's as Thea's, our time split between the two of them equally. We quickly discover too that Nan's storyline is the more riveting of the two, our time with Thea mostly filled with wanting to return to Nan and the darkness she finds hidden beneath a noble cause. We don't get to know either young woman exceedingly well, but Nan takes far more shape than Thea does over the course of a very quick 300 pages, her loyalty to–and protectiveness of–a young woman she meets something that draws us in far more than Thea's extraordinarily superficial relationship with Freddy.

Thea is brimming with the type of potential that could have made her a strong heroine, her problematic relationship with her mother following her father's presumed death in the war one poised to make us reach for tissues at any given moment (particularly as concluding events unfold), but our time with her moves too quickly. We instead find ourselves like riders on a carousel, circling round and round both her and Nan, trying to get a lock on either of them so that they might hold us in place and allow us to examine them more closely, but we're swept along with the ride even when we want nothing more than a moment of stillness to absorb all we're seeing. Overall, Dark Metropolis is a very quick, easily devoured read, though it is light on the world building and character complexity which leaves us wishing there had been a touch more etched in our memories when we reached the last page.

Rating: 3/5
 

Find Jaclyn

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.