Under Currents by Traci Hunter Abramson

Genre: Action, Romance

Publication Date: March 2004

One Word Review: Good

Author Website: www.tracihunterabramson.com

GoodReads Synopsis: Shaye Kendall, an Olympic-bound swimmer, has been in the witness protection program ever since she witnessed her boyfriend's murder. She now has a new name, a new life, and strict orders not to reveal her secret. But fitting into a community is hard when you can't tell people anything about yourself. She doesn't dare get involved with her new friend Matt Whitmore. The fact that Matt's father is a high-profile senator could give her the kind of exposure she doesn't need. How can you fall in love when you can never reveal who you really are? But when someone almost takes her life, Shaye recognizes that whoever is after her knows exactly who and where she is. Can she trust Matt to help her? Can she trust his family?

Kathy’s Review: I didn’t realize when I started this book that it was the first in a trilogy. I knew it was part of a series, but thought it was a stand-alone type book. I think it would have made a bit of a difference if I had known that going in. I really enjoyed the story and plot. I liked the idea of our main character going into the Witness Protection Program and what that kind of life would be like. Although the situation was serious, it was fun going along for the ride with Shaye. I liked Shaye and Matt. My only complaint is that she fell for Matt a little too soon after everything that had happened with her Ex. The book ends without any real closure, but luckily I already had the second book on hand and was able to dive in to that one. I think it’s a fun book and would recommend to anyone who likes a little adventure with their romance.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Reading Order:
Book One: Under Currents
Book Two: Ripple Effect
Book Three: Deep End

Royal Target by Traci Hunter Abramson

Genre: Action, Romance

Publication Date: October 2008

One Word Review: Good

Author Website: www.tracihunterabramson.com

GoodReads Synopsis:When CIA agent Janessa Rogers meets the royal family of Meridia on assignment, she expects to use her skills in linguistics and security to protect and serve, but she doesn't expect to find herself engaged to Prince Garrett Fortier, Meridia's most eligible bachelor, as part of the security plan. And she certainly doesn't expect to fall in love with him. Janessa resists her feelings, fearing conflicts in her personal and professional life, yet when the prince admits his feigned affection has become genuine she can no longer pretend. Matters of security, society, and spirituality make their unlikely romance even more complex, and escalating political intrigue gives Janessa an excuse to ignore the questions in her heart. But when a terrorist plot against the royal family endangers them both, Janessa and Garrett must face the challenges of loyalty to family, to country, to God--and to love.

Kathy’s Review: I enjoyed this story, I liked the plot idea and thought the story flowed nicely. It’s a fun book to curl up with on a snowy day. I liked our main character Janessa, she was easy to relate to. While she is a tough CIA agent, she doesn’t come across too tough. She and Garrett had good chemistry together and I liked how their story unfolded. I did think they fell in love a little fast; it drives me crazy when characters are declaring their love for each other when they’ve only known each other a few weeks. Just a personal pet-peeve. A fun adventure, I’ll definitely be checking out more of Abramson’s books.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Freefall by Traci Hunter Abramson

Genre: Action-Romance

Publication Date: February 2008

One Word Review: Enjoyable

Author Website: http://www.tracihunterabramson.com/

First Line: “My father is going to kill me, Amy Whitmore thought to herself.”

GoodReads Synopsis: Lieutenant Brent Miller arrived in the Middle East with one objective--get seven hostages out of a hostile country. The plan almost worked. But now he has been left behind--with one of the hostages. It's up to Brent to get Amy Whitmore, a US Senator's daughter, across miles of desert to safety. What he doesn't know is that to survive, he needs her as much as she needs him.

Kathy’s Review: I’ve seen these books popping up here and there and finally decided to read them. I thought this was the first, but I guess It’s actually Abramson’s fourth book (I think it’s the first in this series though?). Overall, I enjoyed the story. There is plenty of action and romance. I liked Amy’s character, she is sharp, understanding and knows how to take care of herself. There were a few times that I thought she sounded too good to be true. For example, there are about 17 terrorists that kidnap her, when she is rescued she is able to draw most if not all their sketches (not only does she remember them but she draws them herself). Eye witness testimony is so unreliable anyway, and for her to remember so many different faces under those circumstances seemed a little too farfetched for me. But, it’s a fiction novel, so who cares, right? Anyway, I thought Brent was okay. He didn’t come across as tough as I would have liked, but I did like his character. They had good chemistry together and I thought their story evolved well. I enjoyed the story and plan on reading the rest of the series.

I think the cover is a little misleading, the White House isn't in the story at all but is the main featuer on the cover...just an observation.

Bookworm Rating: 3.5

Saint Squad Series:
Book One: Freefall
Book Two: Lockdown
Book Three: Crossfire
Book Four: Backlash

The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch

Genre: Regency Adventure

Publication Date: March 2010

One Word Review: Swashbuckling-fun

Author Website: www.donnahatch.com

First Line: “Lady Standwish was a traitor.”

GoodReads Synopsis: The widowed Elise is a perfect English lady living within the confines of society for the sake of her impressionable young son. Her quiet world is shattered when she meets the impulsive and scandalous Jared Amesbury. His roguish charm awakens her yearning for freedom and adventure. But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret. A gentleman by day, a pirate by night, Jared accepts one last assignment before he can be truly free. Elise gives him hope that he, too, can find love and belonging. His hopes are crushed when his best laid plans go awry and Elise is dragged into his world of violence and deceit. She may not survive the revelation of Jared’s past…or still love him when the truth is revealed.

Kathy’s Review: This was definitely different from your typical regency novels. It starts out kind of the same, the first half of the book takes place in regular society, but then things take a turn and Jared’s pirate life takes on a much bigger role. I really enjoyed the story, it was fun and adventurous. I really liked Elise and Jared. Elise is witty, brave and very ladylike. Jared brings out a different side in her and she does the same for him. He’s kind of a rake without really being a rake, which I liked. I really liked that he had a lot of respect for Elise and even though there was mutual attraction he was still a gentleman and I think it made their relationship stronger. There is a lot of chemistry between the two, and lots of kissing, but a really sweet romance.

I accidently read this book not realizing it was the second book in the Rogue Heart’s series. Book one is about Jared’s brother Cole and Alicia. Knowing them from this book I am excited to go back and read their story. I am also hoping there will be books for his other brothers Grant and Christian, I felt like they each had some secrets that I’d like to find out.

Bookworm Rating: 4.5

Rouge Heart Series:
Book One: The Stranger She Married
Book Two: The Guise of a Gentleman

Similar Reads:

To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker

The Pirate and the Puritan by Mary Clayton

Dragonfly by Julia Golding

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: October 2009

One Word Review: Adventurous

Author Website: www.juliagoldning.co.uk

First Line: “The Fourth Crown Princess of the Blue Crescent Islands had sixteen rituals to observe from the moment of waking to when she broke her fast.”

Synopsis: Princess Taoshira of the Blue Crescent Islands is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal. And he's not too pleased, either. She is used to a life of discipline, ritual, and splendor. He is used to hunting and carousing. They hate each other on sight. But both of their countries are under threat from a fearsome warlord, and the only chance of peace is to form an alliance. When Tashi and Ram are kidnapped, they fear there’s no escape--from their kidnappers or from each other. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive ambush, unarmed combat, brainwashing, and imprisonment? And will the people they meet on their adventure--including a circus strongman, a daring rebel leader, a sinister master of spies, and the best female fighter they have ever seen--help them or betray them to the enemy?

Kathy’s Review: I’m not sure why this one was listed as a fantasy novel, maybe because the whole thing takes place in a fictional land, but it doesn’t have the usual fantasy elements like magic, elves, etc. I still really enjoyed this book, even though at times it felt a little long. This book stands well on its own, there is a companion novel coming out this summer which will be following different characters. Tashi and Ram’s story was full of adventure and love. It did seem like they were getting into one problem after another, but that’s part of the fun. The story rotates from their respective points of view, which was a fun way to see how they viewed one another and when they weren’t together you could see how the story was moving along. I admit, after awhile I got a little bored with the religious aspects of the story but they were an important part to Tashi’s character, and it was nice to see her grow throughout the book. It was a fun read and I look forward to reading the companion novel this June. This reminded me of The Demon King and Incarceron.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Reading Order:
Book One: Dragonfly
Book Two: The Glass Swallow

Echoes by Nancy Campbell Allen

Genre: Fiction

Author Website: www.ncallen.blogspot.com

One Word Review: Complicated (in a good way)

First Line: “When Adelaide Birmingham gave birth to two healthy twin boys on the 25th of December, she had no idea that before the old year was out and the new one on its way in, she’d be across several state lines with only one of her infants in tow.”

Synopsis: Jon Kiersey awakes in a hospital to one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen, and the news that his brain tumor is benign. Funny…he doesn’t remember having a tumor, and he has no idea who this woman is. As Jon tries to discover who he used to be and figure out his relationship with Paige O’Brian—the beautiful woman—people from his past emerge to remind him bit by bit who he was, what he escaped from, and what dangers lie ahead in the very near future.

Kathy’s Review: It had been a long time since I read this book and I was somewhat surprised when I started reading because I didn’t remember Jon’s story all that well. Poor Jon has had a very hard life and it doesn’t get better when he finds out he has a tumor. When he wakes up from surgery the tumor has been removed and he has lost his memory. This was an interesting aspect to the story. It really gave Jon the chance to look at his life with a little perspective and no guilt. He soon stumbles upon his true heritage and the true situation behind his childhood. I really enjoyed this novel. Paige is very likable; I could really feel her frustration with Jon and was hoping they would be able to figure a way to be together. It was good that they really had to work for what they had and I think it made them appreciate each other a whole lot more. This is the last book in the series, although each book could probably be read on its own. I recommend reading them in order though because certain characters do overlap throughout the books.

I have always been curious about the title of this one. The first three books all have “time” worked into their titles, this one does not. I sometimes like to think of it as “Echoes in Time” just for fun. =)

Reading Order:

Book One: Love Beyond Time
Book Two: No Time for Love
Book Three: A Time for the Heart
Book Four: Echoes

A Time for the Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen

Genre: Fiction-Mystery

Author Website: www.ncallen.blogspot.com

One Word Review: Exciting

First Line: “Claire O’Brian viewed the empty spot on the shelf with something akin to dismay.”

Synopsis: For Claire O’Brian, a bright and beautiful archaeologist, working at a newly discovered archaeological site in the wilds of Guatemala is her opportunity of a lifetime. Unfortunately, the dig is being funded by Darren Stark, the manipulative ex-boyfriend. And if that isn’t enough, several rare artifacts have disappeared—and Claire suspects everyone. Enter “Bump” St. James, a handsome and capable private investigator. As Claire and Bump work together to unearth the mystery, their mutual attraction deepens.

Kathy’s Review: This was a fun mystery novel. There are a few different possibilities of who has been stealing the artifacts and it was fun trying to figure out who it was. I really enjoyed Claire’s character. I liked that she was strong, hard working, passionate and loyal. I also thought Allen did a great job giving her characters believable problems, like Claire’s eating disorder. None of the characters were perfect and aside from all the work related problems they also had personal problems to deal with as well. I’ve visited a few Mayan ruins before so I really enjoyed reading about that aspect of the story. Wouldn’t it be so fun to be an archaeologist! This was a fun read and would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery, archaeology, and of course a good romance.

Reading Order:
Book One: Love Beyond Time

Book Two: No Time for Love
Book Three: A Time for the Heart
Book Four: Echoes

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Site: www.janetterallison.com

First Line: “Thank you for allowing me to raise my semester grade through this extra-credit project.”

One Word Review: Fantastic!

Book Synopsis: “Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience! After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah's gum-chewing, cell phone carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she's only Fair because she's not a very good fairy student, Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah's class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight.” -GoodReads

My Review: This is one of those books where I was actually sad it ended. I thoroughly enjoyed My Fair Godmother. Rallison created a wonderful plot, witty and believable dialogue, endearing characters and a wonderfully quirky fairy. Going into this I thought the story would be about Chrissy (the fair godmother), she is on the cover, the book starts with her “report” and so I was pleasantly surprised that it’s really the story of Savannah. I really enjoyed going on this journey with Savannah, I liked her from the beginning and she continued to grow on me throughout her adventures. Tristan was also a fun character; I also liked him from the beginning. And of course Chrissy, she may be a bit flighty but she actually made some good points along the way, and also provided a few laughs. This is definitely a romantic comedy; I loved the mix of favorite fairy tales with a modern twist. I thought Rallison did a fantastic job with this book, especially the dialogue. The interactions with Tristan and Savannah were realistic and fun. I hope there will be a sequel, if not a series. I would love to be reunited with Chrissy as she continues to become a true “fairy godmother”.

This book proves that you can write a great teen romance without drinking, drugs, sex or foul language. This was a fun, clean read that taught some valuable lessons and I would feel comfortable recommending it to anyone.

Other Reviews:
Always Something to Read
Charlotte’s Library
Em’s Bookshelf
Presenting Lenore

Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

Genre: Fiction, Mystery

Full Title: Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot being the correspondence of two Young Ladies of Quality regarding various Magical Scandals in London and the Country

First Line: ”It is dreadfully flat here since you have been gone, and it only makes it worse to imagine all the things I shall be missing.”

One Word Review: Creative

Book Synopsis: A great deal is happening in London and the country this season. For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There's also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he's not doing a very good job of it--so just what are his intentions?) And then there's Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is. Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives . . . if only they weren't having so much fun! -GoodReads

My Review: The book started out as a Letter Game between Wrede and Stevermer, in which both authors would write, in character, to each other. No discussion of plot was formed; they simply wrote and responded to one another’s letters. The whole idea of the Letter Game and actually producing an entertaining novel is really amazing. Both authors are creative, and I ended up loving the book. Both Kate and Cecy were lovable heroines, I loved reading about their adventures and if it wasn’t for their constant interference I fear Thomas and James would not have been able to overcome the obstacles of Sir Hillary and Miranda. I knew from the beginning that I would just love both James and Thomas, they were great characters and the relationship between the four was fun to read about.

I really enjoyed the story, the characters were all fun and the commentary between Kate and Cecy was witty and entertaining. I liked the magic throughout, it wasn’t overdone and felt believable. Definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery, magic, and romance. I look forward to reading the next two books in the Cecelia and Kate series.

Reading Order:
Book One: The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
Book Two: The Grand Tour
Book Three: The Mislaid Magician

No Time for Love by Nancy Campbell Allen

Genre: Fiction

Author Site: www.ncallen.blogspot.com

First Line:

“The hands that gripped the steering wheel were bruised and bleeding; all traces of the expensive manicure administered mere hours before had been obliterated.”

One Word Review: Exciting

Book Synopsis: Connor O’Brian knows his engagement is a mistake, but before he can take steps to end it, his fiancée is dead and FBI agents are on his doorstep. Then Liz Saxton, a resourceful and self-assured private investigator, shows up looking dangerously like the woman he thought he loved. Connor is hardly looking for a new romance, and the last thing Liz wants is to get involved in a murder investigation with someone as attractive as Connor O’Brian. Before they know it, Liz and Connor find themselves on a non-stop chase across continents and oceans in a race to find the evidence they need before a bullet finds them.

My Review: So, this book follows Liz (Amber’s sister from Love Beyond Time) and Connor. This could probably be a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading book one first. I liked that we were able to see a bit of Amber and Tyler and what they have been up too since their story was told. Liz and Connor have known each other for years but have only been “just friends”, although deep down they both have feelings for one another. They are thrown together when Connor’s condo keeps getting broken into and Liz, the private investigator, decides to help her friend out. As the story unfolds we learn that Connor’s fiancée wasn’t all that she seemed and her death may not have been an accident.

I enjoyed Liz and Connor, and it was fun watching them interact knowing that they both liked each other and at the same time not wanting to ruin their friendship. It was fun traveling with them all over the world as they try and solve the mystery of Allyson’s death and the mysterious disk left in Connor’s condo. This book is action packed, suspenseful, and full of romantic tension. A fun, quick read that anyone would enjoy.

Reading Order:
Book One: Love Beyond Time
Book Two: No Time for Love
Book Three: A Time for the Heart
Book Four: Echoes

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Genre: Adult Fiction

Author Site: www.janeaustenaddict.com

First Line: “Why is it so dark in here? And that smell, like dried lavender mixed with ammonia.”

One Word Review: Okay

Book Synopsis: Courtney Stone wakes up and finds herself not in her Los Angeles bedroom or even in her own body, but inside the bedchamber of a woman in Regency England. Not only is Courtney stuck in another woman's life, she is forced to pretend she actually is that woman; and despite knowing nothing about her, she manages to fool even the most astute observer. Enter the enigmatic Mr. Edgeworth, who fills Courtney's borrowed brain with confusing memories that are clearly not her own. -GoodReads

My Review:
I decided to read this book for the Everything Austen Challenge that I’m participating in. Originally I hadn’t listed this as one of my six Austen items, but the idea of a modern girl being transported back to 1813 England sounded fun to me. It reminded me a bit of Prada and Prejudice, but for a more grown up audience. Our heroine Courtney wakes up in another women’s body, in a completely different time. After awhile Courtney finally decides to play along hoping that eventually she will wake up in her apartment in LA and that everything had just been a dream. Soon Courtney starts to really take on Jane Mansfield’s life and even begins to have some of Jane’s memories. The book was just okay for me. I never really cared for Courtney that much, so I found it hard to really root for her. Once she accepted her situation it did get a little better, but it was still confusing. Her feelings for her modern-day guy made it hard to fall for Mr. Edgeworth, and the ending was just horrible. No explanations, no closure, nothin’. It has made me curious to pick up the companion book to see things from Jane’s point of view as she is transported from 1813 England to modern day LA. Maybe then we will find out what really happened and get some closure. It felt like Rigler wanted to recapture the magic found in the original Austen novels, but ended up falling short, for me anyway. I won’t give any spoilers but there was one scene that I did enjoy, a chance encounter that Courtney has with a certain lady-author. Oops, have I said too much?

There is some swearing and one short seduction scene (if you can call that), which I admit Courtney does solve in a humorous way.

Reading Order:
Book One: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
Book Two: Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

Other Reviews:
Booking Mama

Written Word

Retro Friday Review: The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

I actually had a hard time deciding which book I would feature for today’s installment of Retro Friday (created by Angieville). I finally decided on The Princess Bride. I had seen the movie at least 100 times before I even realized there was a book. I’m not sure which came first, but after getting my hands on a copy of the book I fell in love with Wesley, Princess Buttercup, and their rag-tag team all over again.

I won’t go into too much detail about the plot, since everyone has probably either seen the movie or read the book, but here is a small overview. Buttercup and Wesley live on a farm where she is constantly bossing him around but eventually realizes she is in love. Once they decide they love each other Wesley decides to set out to find his fortune so they can have a better life together. Soon after leaving Buttercup receives word that Wesley has died. After a bit of morning Prince Humperdinck enters the picture and insists that she marry him. Long story short, Wesley is actually alive and well. He comes to reclaim Buttercups heart only to find she is now engaged to the Prince. The Prince is worried about losing Buttercup, seeing as he has great plans for her murder (he wants to go to war with the neighboring kingdom), so he decides to kill Wesley himself. With the help of a giant, a Spaniard and a magical cloak they are able to rescue the princess and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after.

This is an interesting book. It is written as an abridged version of “S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure” (which I’m still pretty sure is all made up). Goldman provides his point of view, which is similar to the movie version where Narrator (Grandpa) stops every now and again to explain to his sick grandson what is going on. I’ve read the book many times, sometimes I read it from cover to cover, while other times I just skip the “brakes” and just read the story. Either way is very entertaining.

What I love most about the book is how much back story we get on each of the characters. Unlike some books that are written after the movie, that end up just going through the whole movie without adding anything new. This was packed full of delicious storylines, which ended up making it far better than the movie. The book goes into so much detail about the early days of Buttercup and Wesley, how they fell in love, the time when Buttercup is on her own, how she came to the attention of Prince Humperdinck (great name), and eventually how she became a Princess. There is also a lot of back story for the lovable Fezzik and Inigo, and the ruthless Vizzini. One of the best parts of the book is its description of the Pit of Despair. Why in the world didn’t they follow the book more closely when making the movie? The Pit is amazing in the book, simple terrifying and definitely not a place you would want to be.

If you haven’t read the book...DO! It’s a Bookworm promise that you will love it.

Other Retro Friday Reviews

Angieville: Sword-Dancer

Love Beyond Time by Nancy Campbell Allen

Genre: Fiction

Author Site: www.ncallen.blogspot.com

First Line: “The tension was thick in the small office.”

One Word Review: Enjoyable

Book Synopsis: “Amber Saxton is a bright young LDS doctor on the cutting edge of twenty-first century medicine. But when she has a head-on collision with a swinging door, life as she knows it is suddenly reduced to a heart full of searing memories when she awakens in another time and place. How can she practice modern medicine on a Civil War battlefield—and how can she get out of this mess? Shoe longs for her comfortable apartment and her dear little Primary class, but she’s trapped in a world that is not her own. And its anything but friendly. Meanwhile, Tyler Montgomery, an overworked accountant, is spending the night at his computer when two of his worst nightmares walk through his office door. The last thin he remembers is a blow from the butt of their sawed-off shotgun—until he comes to in a tiny room adjacent to a nineteenth-century Army hospital.”

My Review:
Although I have a rather large stack of library books (32) to read, I kept hearing Tyler and Amber calling to me and I decided to skip the library books and go for a familiar favorite. This is the kind of book that sucks you in right from the start. Under normal circumstances Amber and Tyler would probably never meet. They are both workaholics and it takes a little time travel for them to finally get together. I like the struggles Amber has to go through as a doctor. I can only imagine how awful it would be to be thrown into the horrible medical conditions of the Civil War; it would probably drive me crazy. Amber handles it well and does the best she can to save and teach those around her. Tyler is a natural leader, the troops are drawn to him and he commands their respect. Although Tyler has had a hard past this experience is able to help him get closure and ultimately peace. I like the relationship between Amber and Tyler; it was fun to glimpse a part of their story. Great book, well researched and very entertaining.

Reading Order:
Book One: Love Beyond Time
Book Two: No Time for Love
Book Three: A Time for the Heart
Book Four: Echoes

Green Rider by Kristen Britain

Genre: Fantasy-Adventure

Author Site: www.kristenbritain.com

First Line: “The Granite was cold and rough against the gray-cloaked man’s palms.”

One Word Review: Terrific

Book Synopsis: “Young heroine Karigan hardly has time to regret being expelled from school (for dueling) before finding herself committed to the desperate errand of a murdered Green Rider. The Riders are an elite messenger corps using both horses and magic; the message is a terrible warning. Bad things from bad places are invading this fantasyland, their presence being only part of a devious, sorcery-aided human struggle for the throne. Karigan's wild ride is beset by a variety of enemies, but aided by her own developing talents plus certain strange allies. These include the tormented ghost of the dead Green Rider himself--still pierced by and trying to resist the chief villain's black arrows that ensnare the soul. Delivering the message to a suspicious court is only half Karigan's job: can it be interpreted in time?” -GoodReads

My Review:
For some reason I wasn’t that excited about starting this book. I don’t know if it was the cover or the fact that I couldn’t find any reviews that mentioned any kind of romance in the story. I know that is a lame reason not to read a book, but I just can’t help but love a good romance in my books. Despite the lack of romance I actually ended up really liking this book. I thought Karigan was an amazing, spunky girl. She is not the type to take no for an answer and she never gives up. Whether she is facing a gigantic scorpion, being kidnapped, stabbed, stalked, or in battle she continues to fight and keep her wits about her. She never came across as unbelievable strong or super-human, she was just believable. I thought the world building was well done, strong plot, and great character development. The book was action packed and poor Karigan never had a moment’s peace! This is the first in a series and all I can say is that the others have quite a lot to live up to.

There wasn’t anything that I didn’t like about the story. However, there were a couple things that I thought were missing. Like most fantasy novels we have our “hero” who has to complete some kind of quest. They meet all sorts of friends and foes along the way and eventually have to face off with the ultimate “bad guy”. This book has all of that, what it was missing, at least throughout the first half is the friendly companions who travel with our hero. Sure, Karigan has friends that help her along the way and towards the end she is no longer alone, but there wasn’t any constant companion(s) and I missed that. Like I mentioned before there wasn’t any real clear romantic lead for Karigan, although there is something hinted at towards the end, there wasn’t anything to make my heart twitter. I’m hoping that is something to look forward to in the next books.

While reading I couldn’t help thinking about other fantasy books that were similar. If you like Mystic & Rider, Star of the Morning, or The Naming, then you will probably enjoy this book.

Reading Order:
Book One: Green Rider
Book Two: First Rider’s Call
Book Three: The High King’s Tomb
Book Four: n/a

Other Reviews:

BlookityBlook

Kasie West

Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt

“Gwyn is not easily led. When she hears talk of Jackaroo, the legendary masked outlaw who comes to the aid of those in need, she shrugs it off, she has no use for myths. But Gwyn makes a startling discover, and she begins to believe that there may be truth in those takes. And when Gwyn’s faith starts to fail, it is Jackaroo she calls to her side. And it is Jackaroo who brings her strength, in a most unusual way.”

As I started reading this I realized I had started it before and never finished. I suppose that is what kept me at it this time. My expectations were a bit too high, I had heard this compared to Robin Hood or even Scarlet Pimpernel, so as I read I was a little disappointed in the story. I think it had a lot of promise, but it was a little lacking for me. Gwyn was a pretty good heroin, and she grows a lot throughout the story. I think Burl (her good friend, and father’s servant) was under used and although it’s clear what his intentions are, Gwyn hardly notices him throughout the story. Maybe if there had been more interaction with them and the chemistry built up I would have enjoyed the story more. I was confused in some places, but that was probably because I tended to skim more than I should have. It was a little boring for me, but okay overall. I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the series.