Dark Destiny by Kari Gray

All Lily Bordeaux wants is a shop of her own in the French Quarter, but the family legacy, passed down from her Salem witch ancestors, is bearing down on her despite her efforts to avoid it. A series of events place her in danger, but an old friend from college, Bennett Duschesne, may be the one person who can convince her to confront her past demons and embrace her gifts. As she grows closer to Bennett, evil forces threaten to destroy everything she loves. Will she have accepted her family legacy, only to find she was too late?

I’ve read all of Nancy C Allen’s (aka Kari Gray) books and was so excited when I saw she was going to be writing a new paranormal novella series. I got it the day it came out and devoured it in one sitting. She really can write any genre!

Lily is a descendent from the Salem Witches, but after losing her parents she doesn’t want anything to do with her “powers” and closes them off. Then one day she awakens after a bomb exploded at her aunt’s boutique and she realizes she should have been honing her powers, not ignoring them. To get answers and to protect her aunt she opens herself up to her powers and goes on the hunt for an elusive talisman. I thought this was a fun novella; a lot is packed in to the 118 pages!

Lily was a likable heroine, I liked that she was strong and wanted to take matters into her own hands. I also liked that she was willing to accept help when she needed it. I liked the romance with her and Bennett. They had been friends for a long time and had drifted apart when he started dating another girl. They’re reunited after the explosion and realize the depth of their feelings. The romance was sweet, a little fast, but considering the length of the novel and the fact that they had known each other before made it believable. The overall story was fun and I look forward to reading the rest of the series! Beautiful cover!

Content, PG:
Romance: Clean, mild innuendo (a little steamier than her other books, if I remember)
Language: Mild (H, D, S)
Violence: Mild

Source: Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

I really liked this one. I love when you pick up a book and you can tell right away that you're going to enjoy it. When you see that it is almost 500 pages and glad it's going to last awhile. That's how I felt when I started reading this one. The writing was well done, I never felt bogged down by unnecessary details. Everything was told for a reason and helped move the story along. It also helps when you like the heroine, which I did. Cécile starts off as a normal farm girl, who had an amazing gift for singing. She has just turned seventeen is about to leave her country life to go live in the city with her mother. Her plans quickly chance when she is abducted and sold to trolls.

I enjoyed the world building here and the world of Trollus. It was easy to picture their kingdom and the trolls within. I like that Cécile had a strong spirit and never gives up. I liked her relationship with Tristan. I thought their bond was interesting and unique. I also liked how Cécile was able to see the good in those around her and make friends. At times I think she was a little naïve, but it was also nice that she is optimistic and genuinely wants to help. I didn't like Tristan at first, he just rubbed me the wrong way (and not because he was an evil troll) and I wasn't sure if I would like him. He does grow on me though and the more we get to know him the more I liked him. I will say, at times some of the language seemed too modern for the setting and would take me out of the story a bit. I actually would have liked more of Tristan's POV, we get a few here and there and I would have liked to see more.

Overall, a great start to a new series (a little bummed that I have to wait so long for the next book). If you enjoy high fantasy, kickbutt princesses and swoony princes then you need to pick this one up!

Content
Romance: Clean
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild

Defy by Sara B Larson

 
 

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?<

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A great addition to the YA High Fantasy genre, which is a favorite of mine. I love stepping out of our contemporary world and into a fictional land. With fantasy novels anything is possible; I love the magic, politics and romance. This story had them all. Our heroine Alexa was likable and easy to root for. She has to hide her identity to protect herself and for the past three years has not only been a personal guard to the Prince, but has also been disguising herself as a boy. Normally I’m not a huge fan of the girl-dresses-as-boy storyline, but it was well done here. I guess I have a hard time believing people would be fooled. I think since no one knew her before and the fact she looks so much like her twin brother it was easy for them to believe. For the past three years everyone has known her as a boy, but in that same time she has actually grown into a young woman. She is now seventeen and beginning to show an interest in a couple guys and is surprised when they are showing an interest in her. It was interesting to see how she begins to see herself differently. Never really finding herself pretty and content with being a soldier, it was nice to see her softer, feminine side come out. To have men appreciate her for more than her fighting skills. For those who know me, you know I am not a fan of love triangles. While this one was better than most, it still seemed a little unnecessary to me. I liked both guys (which of course must be a requirement with LTs), Prince Damian really grows as the story progresses and the more we learn about him the more you like. I also liked fellow guard Rylan, who is loyal and protective and an all around good guy. I like who Alexa ends up with and thought they had good chemistry. I think their story could have been better and developed more if the LT element wasn’t involved (but, again that’s mostly because I don’t care for LT). Overall, I thought it was a fun read. I was luckily able to read it on my iPhone, so I could read and take care of my new baby at the same time. I had a hard time putting it down and wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I thought things ended well, but also look forward to reading more in the series. A great debut. Content: Clean, PG13. Clean romance, language and mild violence. Talk of breeding houses and rape (not descriptive).

Winter Queen by Amber Argyle

Mortally wounded during a raid, seventeen-year-old Ilyenna is healed by winter fairies who present her with a seductive offer: become one of them and share their power over winter. But that power comes with a price. If she accepts, she will become a force of nature, lose her humanity, and abandon her family.

Unwilling to pay such a high price, Ilyenna is enslaved by one of the invaders, Darrien. While in captivity, she learns the attack wasn’t just a simple raid but part of a larger plot to overthrow her entire nation.

With the enemy stealing over the mountains and Darrien coming to take her to his bed, Ilyenna must decide whether to resurrect the power the fairies left behind. Doing so will allow her to defeat Darrien and the other invaders, but if she embraces winter, she will lose herself to that destroying power—forever.

The synopsis and cover totally drew me to this book. After reading the Amazon “sample” I was hooked and wanted to keep reading. It’s one of those books that is hard to put down, you want to keep reading to see what will happen next and how everything will work out. I liked our heroine Ilyenna, she puts others needs above her own. She doesn’t back down and tries to do the right thing. She has it pretty rough throughout the book and I admired how she was able to stay strong. I also liked our hero Rone. He is loyal, brave and kind. I like that he continued to put Ilyenna first, even above his own needs. I liked their relationship, it did save the book for me. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them to be together. I had read some reviews that mentioned the violence, but I guess I still wasn’t expecting so much or so detailed. It seems like it was non-stop from start to finish. It seemed like so much time was spent on the violence that the rest of the story suffered. The politics and romance were overshadowed by beatings, wars and pain. I ended up skipping a couple fight scenes at the end because I was just burned out. Too much violence for my taste. I also thought the end wrapped up rather quickly. Especially in regards to Ilyenna and Rone’s relationship, it was rather sudden. The fairy elements were okay, but I’m still on the fence about how everything ended up in that regard. Overall, an interesting read. While I liked the overall story the violence was a big turn off for me. Content: There is sex before marriage and a pregnancy results. Aside from kissing, everything fades to black and there is no details. There are a couple attempts at Ilyenna’s virtue, but nothing goes too far. There is a lot of war, beatings and other violence.

You Are Mine by Janeal Falor

Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.

Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.

The synopsis for this one totally drew me in. I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience stories and high fantasy, so this was a nice mix of both. I got sucked into the story right away and had a hard time putting it down. It’s a little slow moving, knew going in that it was the first in a trilogy so that didn’t bother me too much. The subject matter was pretty heavy though.

The world building was unique. The country of Chaldonia has some very backward ideas about women. They are treated poorly, actually that’s an understatement. Women are nothing more than property, and not property that is treated well. Our heroine Serena especially had a hard life with a very abusive father. They have no rights and are really nothing more than baby breeders and punching bags. It was disturbing, but even more so when you think of the countries and religions around our world that do treat their women in a similar fashion. It’s heartbreaking to know there are women out there going through similar things. I am glad that the author wasn’t overly descriptive of the punishments and abuse. You know what has gone on, but nothing is overly detailed.

The romance was a bit lacking for me. I thought there was a lot of potential for Serena and Zade, but by the end it felt more like a friendship. Knowing Serena’s background I appreciated that they take things slow and that Zade wants to gain her trust. I believe her response to him was accurate. Considering her background, it would take a great deal of patience to earn her trust. I could understand why she was on edge and waiting for punishments, since that is all she has ever known. His kindness was totally foreign to her. So, I do appreciate that a friendship has been built and will make a good foundations for something more. I’m a sucker for romance though and would have liked to have that aspect amped up a little. While I liked Zade, I do wish he was a bit more of a charmer, like the guys from a Marcia McClure novel. I would have liked to see him actually fall for Serena. They didn’t have much romantic chemistry. You know he cares about her and her welfare, but I’m still not sure if it is more out of sympathy for all she has gone through. When together they mostly just talk politics, which is one way to get information to the reader, but ends up lessening the romantic bond. IMO. (hide spoiler)] I think if the romance had been showcased more it would have lightened an otherwise pretty serious book.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say this is a downer, but it is definitely more on the serious side and the treatment of women is at times pretty disturbing. Again, nothing is overly detailed, but the overall mood is oppressive. I liked the end, the last chapter or so things happen that leave you happy and hopeful for Serena’s future. I am curious about continuing the series and look forward to seeing what will happen next. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked that it was unique and the characters were likable. The world building and writing was well done, easy to get into and hard to put down.


Content: Clean. Nothing more than kissing, but it’s clear a woman’s main purpose is producing heirs, especially male heirs. Some violent themes, but nothing overly descriptive. Some abuse, but again, nothing too descriptive. 

Just Ella by Annette K Larsen

Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she'd imagined.

I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he would have been better off if he had never met me.

This was a pleasant surprise. For some reason I didn’t have the highest expectation going into it. I think part of it was that I didn’t love the cover. I probably would have put off reading it for awhile if I hadn’t read the great reviews (especially Chrissy’s). I guess I’m a cover snob and I gravitate to the books with awesome covers (which doesn’t always mean you’ll get an awesome book. Unfortunately.) Ariella was a great heroine. I really liked her. The book opens when she is fifteen and I thought the author did a good job portraying her at that age and especially how her relationship with Gavin grows from friendship to young love. Very believable. I liked that the book takes place over a few years and we get to see the changes Ariella goes through and how she handles struggles. I like that she wanted to do the right thing and was willing to make hard choices, if it meant doing the right thing. Again, I really liked her character. I also liked Gavin. He was a sweetheart. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them. I wasn’t sure how things were going to play out, they come from different worlds and obviously won’t have the support of her family. There was another character introduced towards the end that I actually loved, I think he is more my “type” and almost started rooting for him, but I was still on Team Gavin. I was happy with how everything eventually works out. Anyway, I love high fantasy novels that have a princess as our leading lady. Not sure why, but it’s just a great setting. The book kind of reminded me of Seer and the Sword and Queen in Exile, although this book focused more on Ariella’s self discovery, and not too much court intrigue. Maybe since I had those other books in the back of my head I expected this to be similar in action/intrigue, and did keep expecting something to happen, but for the most part it’s just a nice story. There is some excitement thrown in though and I thought that made the story fun. I think it’s one I would probably enjoy even more the next time around, knowing what to expect. The writing was well done and the characters likable. I look forward to reading about Areilla’s sister Lylin in the next book. Hope it comes out soon. Overall, a fun read and one I would recommend. Can’t wait to read more from Ms. Larsen. Content: Clean.

Kiss of Fire by Rebecca L Ethington

 Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on her skin. She doesn't know why the mark appeared on her neck, but she doesn't want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won't let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to. The scar is the reason she is being hunted. If only she knew that she was. If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air. Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; only he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.

Kiss of Fire is the first in the Imalind triology. It has been awhile since I’ve read a YA fantasy book and I thought Kiss of Fire was a fun way to get back into the genre. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book, since it was free and self published (I could be wrong on that) I didn’t have the highest expectations. I liked our main characters Jocelyn, Ryland, Ilyan and Wyn.

I thought the book was well written and flowed pretty well, for the most part. I liked the beginning and was excited when towards the middle things started to pick up. The last half went back and forth for me, at times I got a tad bored. The end was good though and left me wanting to read the next book. I think it will be a fun series. Oh, I also liked that it was clean!

I just have to say it. I am not a fan of love triangles. It’s not super present in this book, but I have a feeling it will be in the next one. I just think it is WAY over done. It seems like every YA series out there has a love triangle now, maybe that is why I have been avoiding the genre. Let’s be original and not use love triangles as plot devices anymore, okay?

Content: Clean!

Similar Reads:

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis:
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Review:
I saw the first five chapters of this were free on Amazon, so I thought I’d give it a try. I was hooked pretty early on and went ahead and bought the book. I had to know what happened with our heroine Alina and Mal. While I love high fantasy books, I always get a little frustrated with all the crazy names and places. I guess it’s a personal pet-peeve of mine, but I did think it was a bit much in this book. There are a lot of crazy names, different levels of Grisha (magic people), places and slang to keep track of. Overlooking all of that though, I did like the story. It’s kind of your typical plot, but with enough original ideas to keep things interesting. I liked Alina, for the most part. I liked her history and relationship with Mal. I liked that they were good friends and depended on one another. I definitely felt potential for them at the start of the book, some things happen though that kind of dampened it for me. There were just a couple things that kept me from really loving the story, probably more of a personal preference than anything else. I think it will probably be a fun series and I can see why a lot of people like it.

Overall, I did enjoy it and it kept me reading. I liked how it all wrapped up, but may be curious enough to read the rest of the series. For full review, with spoilers, visit my Goodreads review.

Content: Pretty clean, mild innuendo. One makeout scene gets a little steamy, but nothing happens. Was pretty violent and dark. I think maybe a handful of swearwords.

The Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima

I first started this series three years ago. I loved the first book and was excited to read the rest of the series. Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to finishing them all until this week. I’ve decided I hate waiting a year between sequels. I end up forgetting characters, plot and other relevant items and usually don’t want to re-read each book when the newest one comes out. So, I decided with the Seven Realms series that I would just wait until all the books were out and then read them all together. When the newest book, The Crimson Crown, was released last month I went ahead and ordered all the books.

I thought this was a fun high fantasy series. I liked the plots, characters and writing. I thought they were easy to read, all 2217 pages worth. For the most part the books focus on our main characters Raisa and Han, we are lucky to hear from both POV. I liked both characters; they each had their own strengths and weaknesses.

While the books are marketed towards a YA audience, I actually thought they were more fitting for 18+. The characters are all around 16-18, but their behavior and circumstances are more mature. The books are clean, but there is quite a bit of innuendo (although not crude) throughout the series. I thought the attitudes towards sex were too blasé, I would have enjoyed the stories so much more if they had a better moral message. While I didn’t personally agree with all the characters choices, I did enjoy the romance aspect of the series.

Overall, I thought this was a fun series. I’d probably give the overall series a 3.5, but it would have been much higher if it had been cleaned up a bit.

Content: Overall, clean. There is innuendo throughout, for the most part it is subtle, but at times it’s a little more obvious. There are a couple minor characters that are gay.

Reading Order:

Book One: The Demon King
Book Two: The Exiled Queen
Book Three: The Gray Wolf Throne
Book Four: The Crimson Crown

(For reviews of each individual book, please visit my Goodreads profile.)

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Synopsis: To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone. Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

Review: I think I may have enjoyed this one more than the first. I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go and there were a few twists that I didn’t see coming. I thought, because of the cover, there would be more of a focus on Tamra in this one, but there wasn't. I’m not sure what to think of our main character Jacinda. While I really like her, I’m also frustrated with her. She sure makes some hasty decisions that end up causing a lot of problems, but deep down I think she’s just trying to do the right thing. Anyway, this story of course contains a love-triangle. I have to say, I am really torn on this one, I keep going back and forth, normally I can chose a “team” and stick with it. I really really like Cassian, I find myself leaning towards him, but then I really like Will and suspect that in the end Jacinda will end up with Will, so Cassian is there just to provide some nice tension. Which is probably why I don’t like love-triangles. I also like Tamra. I wish we could get to know her more, I don’t think her character is used enough. I want to see her happy. I think the last book I wanted Tamra and Cassian to somehow end up together, but, I don’t think Cassian deserves Tamra. She deserves to be someone’s first choice.

One thing that I’ve had a hard time doing is picturing these characters in their dragon forms. I keep picturing BIG dragons, but then the descriptions don’t make them out to be all that bigger than their human forms. I would love a sketch or something of what they look like so I could imagine it a little better.

The book ends on a pretty big cliff hanger and I’m excited for the next book, Hidden.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island. Until now. Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

Review: I enjoyed Armstrong’s Darkest Powers trilogy (Summoning, Awakening, and Reckoning) and really looked forward to this spinoff Darkness Rising trilogy. A part of me wishes I had re-read Darkest Powers so I could refresh myself on characters and history, but another part is glad that I went into the Gathering somewhat fresh.

While I totally enjoyed the story, I was also a little disappointed. Not much happened and Maya took FOREVER to figure out what was going on. Since I could guess at least a little of what was going to happen from the beginning, I was frustrated that it was taking so long for the characters to catch up. I did like Maya. She was a good lead, very independent, strong and yet pretty nice too. I liked her relationship with her parents. It was refreshing to see a healthy family unit for a change. I also really liked Maya’s best friend Daniel. In fact I think I’m on Team Daniel, even though they didn’t have any romantic chemistry together, I was hoping he’d win out. I liked Rafe too actually, I thought he had good chemistry with Maya, but I just didn’t like him as much as Daniel. It was actually nice that there wasn’t the typical love-triangle going on. Maya knew her feelings and wasn’t leading anyone on, such a refreshing change! By the end though, I felt like nothing was answered and the cliffhanger was kind of lackluster. It felt more like an end to a chapter, not the end of a book.

I guess I felt like the book was kind of filler, we got to know the characters (which I liked), the setting (which I liked) and a tiny bit of Maya’s history. There wasn’t enough mystery/action, and if I hadn’t read the first trilogy I wouldn’t have enjoyed The Gathering as much as I did. I still really look forward to the next book, I love the story and writing and I know I’ll probably end up liking this trilogy as much as the first.

Content: A little swearing, underage drinking, and a bit of making out.

Tiger's Voyage by Collen Houck

It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten into a series, one where the characters follow you around even when you’re not reading. For some reason Ren, Kelsey and Kishan keep popping into my head when I’m doing other things. When I heard B&N shipped Tiger’s Voyage out early (the scheduled release date is November 1) I hurried and placed my order. I was so excited to receive my copy and start reading. The end of Tiger’s Quest had such a cliff hanger I had to know what was going to happen next.

Tiger’s Voyage was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the setting; the whole crew sets off on a mega yacht. I enjoyed how all of them were crammed together and we get a lot of Kishan-Kelsey-Ren time. They once again have a lot of challenges and new obstacles to over come. There are a few new characters as well that added a lot to the story. I would like to know more about Nilima. She seems like she could be an awesome character, if we could just get to know her. Since her and Kelsey are the only girls around I would have liked to see them doing more together. The story once again ends with a cliff hanger, but in my opinion it wasn’t as shocking as the last book.

I did feel that this book suffered a little from Middle Book Syndrom, kind of dragged a little. I’m not a fan of love-triangles, especially ones that get drawn out and beat to death. I felt like it’s a little over done in this book and too much of a plot device. The book probably gets four stars, but because I don’t like love-triangles I’m giving the whole thing three. I just didn’t believe in the love-triangle. There really isn’t a choice; we all know who Kelsey ends up with in the very end. It just makes her look bad, in my opinion. If you want to hear my ratings, read below, but I caution it does contain spoilers.

I have no idea where Houck is going to take these characters. I honestly hope we don’t have to read two more books of Kelsey jumping from brother to brother. Five books of that is just over kill and a part of me just doesn’t want to read it anymore. I’m curious to keep going, but if it’s dragged on and on in the next book I may not finish the series.

This section contains spoilers, and lots of venting.

For the most part I really like Kelsey. I like that she’s become a lot more self confident, can kick butt, is courageous and a lot of other good things. This silly love-triangle really weakens her character in my opinion. I have lost a LOT of respect for her because of it. It’s hard to have respect and like a character when she is being so selfish and using two great guys. For where we are in the story I can understand why Kelsey is hesitant and even angry with Ren. There are a lot better ways for her to deal with that without involving Kishan. It was fine for the first couple books, but she knows she is not in love with Kishan so she should not lead him on. She is keeping him around because she doesn’t want to end up alone. Sure she cares for Kishan and even loves him, I mean what’s not to love? But, she is not IN love with him. She owes it to both guys to choose NEITHER. Don’t commit to Ren until her concerns are overcome. And don’t commit to Kishan when you know you are not in love with him. Instead of feeling sorry for Kelsey, it makes me dislike her. Because when it all comes down to it, everyone already knows who she is going to “choose” so it just makes her look bad. If it was a situation where you really didn’t know who she would end up with then it would be a different story, but it’s so obvious that she ends up with Ren and is just using Kishan. I just don’t want to read TWO more books of her flitting between brothers. It’s boring and lost its tension at book two.

One more thing that makes me irritated with Kelsey is the double standard she has for Ren. She is mad at Ren for leaving her, purposefully forgetting her and for flaunting other women in front of her. Which I totally understand, I would be mad, hurt, and scared also. But come on, she left Ren and broke his heart in the first book. If she had been in Ren’s position she would have chosen amnesia as well. And, she is constantly flaunting her relationship with Kishan in front of him. If she doesn’t want to risk being with Ren, then don’t.

Kishan lost himself in this book. Where was the snarky, flirty Kishan that I fell for in the first two books? He becomes a total doormat in this installment. Sure he’s suppose to be “understanding” and “patient” as he waits for Kelsey to make up her mind. But, to me it came across as boring and kind of pathetic. Dude, you know she is completely in love with your brother and will NEVER feel the same way about you…move on! Stop letting her use you to make herself feel better. Personally, I think he should have gone for Nilima. But, she deserves to be someone’s first choice not consolation prize.

Ren is just awesome. I really like his character. He’s hot, he’s romantic, he’s brave and he’s perfect for Kelsey. He understands her and really knows her. I love that while she is constantly pushing him away, he doesn’t stop fighting for her. He knows her fears and knows that together they can overcome them.

Tiger's Quest by Collen Houck

GoodReads Synopsis: Kelsey Hayes is no ordinary college freshman. In fact, the eighteen-year-old girl has just returned from India, where she risked her life—and her heart—to rescue a handsome Indian prince from a terrible curse. Back home in Oregon, Kelsey is determined to move on, despite the lingering feelings she has for the man she left behind. She meets Li, a completely average guy who offers the promise of an ordinary, curse-free life. But just when Kelsey is ready to move on, Ren reenters her life, on a quest to reclaim her heart. Danger threatens their newly rekindled love and to save him, Kelsey must journey with someone else—a man who wants her for himself.

Kathy’s Review: Ahhh, what a cliffhanger ending! But, before I get to the ending I’ll talk about the rest of the book. I enjoyed this one as much as the first. It felt like there was a lot less “data-dumping” than the first book, although there is still some. The story picks up right where the first book leaves off and I liked that the first part of the book was more normal. Kelsey is trying to live with her decision, but secretly hoping Ren will come after her. When the whole gang is all back together the adventure really begins. Kishan plays a much bigger role this time around. Here’s my thing with Kishan, I like him. He’s hot, charming and brave. What I don’t like is how he is constantly going after his brother’s girl. The storyline kind of reminds me too much of Vampire Diaries, without the vampires. I do like Kishan and I totally feel for him, but dude, go get your own girl. I just hope that Houck doesn’t drag out this little love-triangle for the rest of the series. The whole will-they-won’t-they will get a little old after awhile. I will say that I was pleased that Kelsey wasn’t wishy-washy, but with how the book ends I’m really curious to see what happens and who ends up with whom. Anyway, Ren is awesome. I totally love him and the ending really hurt my heart. I didn’t realize that the book had a sneak peak for book three until the next morning. I ran and grabbed my copy to read it and now I really can’t wait for November 1 when the next book comes out. This is a really fun series with a unique story and fun characters.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: June 2011
One Word Review: Enjoyable
Author Website: http://www.colleenhouck.com/

Reading Order:

Book One: Tiger’s Curse

Book Two: Tiger’s Quest

Book Three: Tiger’s Voyage

Book Four: Tiger’s Destiny

Book Five: Tiger’s Dream

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

GoodReads Synopsis: The last thing teenager Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing over the summer was meeting Ren, a mysterious white tiger and cursed Indian prince! When she learns she alone can break the Tiger's curse, Kelsey's life is turned upside-down. The unlikely duo journeys halfway around the world to piece together an Indian prophecy, find a way to free the man trapped by a centuries-old spell, and discover the path to their true destiny.

Kathy’s Review: I actually really enjoyed this, for the most part. It took a little while to get into and to get accustomed to the cadence of the writing. There were a few cheesy things like when she’d referred to Ren as “mister” or “buster”, who talks like that? There was also a lot of Indian mythology and history, the author obviously did a lot of research. It was easy to get bogged down by the details. But, the story was quite original and I really liked Ren and his story. Kelsey was okay, I like her. The last third of the book she was a little negative and full of insecurities. I’m hoping as the story progresses that she will grow more confident and self-assured and not so worried about looks. The ended was kind of a cliff hanger, I’m actually glad things worked out as they did. If the story is going to go on for five books then it’s good to have a little spacing for our characters. I think it will be a fun series to get into.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Genre: YA Fantasy/Mythology
Publication Date: September 2009
One Word Review: Good
Author Website: www.colleenhouck.com

Reading Order:
Book One: Tiger’s Curse
Book Two: Tiger’s Quest
Book Three: Tiger’s Voyage
Book Four: Tiger’s Destiny
Book Five: Tiger’s Dream

The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: December 2010
One Word Review: Disappointing
Author Website: www.cherichesley.com

GoodReads Synopsis: After running away from home, Krystal is transported to a faraway kingdom where an evil tyrant is bent on taking the crown - and Krystal's hand in marriage. But when she falls in love with the rightful heir to the throne, she must make an impossible choice: sacrifice her one chance at happiness or face the destruction of an entire kingdom.

Kathy’s Review (contains spoilers): I really hate writing negative reviews, but as I sit down to write this I’m having a hard time thinking of positive things to say. My biggest problem with the book was the dialog. It was unrealistic, awkward and choppy. None of the conversations sounded like they would take place in the real world. My next problem was that Krystal was just too lucky, everything happened easily for her. For example, her escape and rescue of the prince not only happened very easily, but really quickly. No planning was done, no prep work, both just happened too easily. Lastly, the supposedly super evil King Gregory just came across as a spoiled little child. There was nothing scary about him; he was more laughable than frightening. He would throw temper tantrums when he didn’t get his way, was way to forgiving of Krystal’s behavior and his personality was not consistent. The writing was okay, but could have been better.

I will say that I liked the overall idea for the story, and aside from the above criticisms the story did move along quickly and was clean. Since I liked the story I am wavering between giving this a 2 or a 3, but I went with a 2 because I had to force myself to keep reading instead of being sucked into the story.

Bookworm Rating: 2, G

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: September 2010
One Word Review: Good
Author Website: www.sophiejordan.net

First Line: “Gazing out at the quiet lake, I know the risk is worth it.”

GoodReads Synopsis: Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form. Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Kathy’s Review: Hmm, I’m wavering between a 3 and a 4 on this one. I got sucked in right from the start; the first part was kind of exciting and new. About halfway through I got a little…bored. Not sure if that’s the right word, I still liked the story and characters, but got a little restless with Jacinda wavering between Will being dangerous and needing to stay away and Will being her only hope and can’t keep herself away. I know on some level they are both drawn to each other and have very intense feelings. BUT, not only does it seem too fast, but also unsubstantiated. They hardly speak and yet are totally in love. I don’t know, I have a hard time believing in couples when there hasn’t been much interaction between them. I guess I don’t believe in the “love at first sight” myth. Having said that, I do like Will. I think he is a good leading man and I can see why she likes him right away. I also like Cassian, he has the whole Alpha Male thing going for him. The ending, if you can call it that, was a bit abrupt. I would have liked a little more things tied up. It left me hanging and wanting to get my hands on the next book…so I guess that’s a good thing. Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. The writing is well done and the characters are interesting, the story is original and I’m excited to see what happens next.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Reading Order:
Book One: Firelight
Book Two: Vanish
Book Three:

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Genre: YA Fantasy (Retelling)
Publication Date: October 2010
One Word Review: Okay
Author Website: www.wendydelsol.com

GoodReads Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

Kathy’s Review: I was looking forward to reading this because the plot sounded so original. You won’t find any vampires, werewolves, faeries, or angels in this story (at least not in this first installment). I don’t have anything against those mythical creatures, it just seems to be overdone in the YA genre right now. I won’t give too much away, but I will say that this story is unique and I'll probably read the next book.

I thought the book was well written, a few things were a little unclear (at least to me) and I would have liked a little more information about Katla’s ability and the history of her talents. I also thought Katla was kind of a fashion snob. I know she wanted to be a designer and was really into clothes, but she also was kind of judgmental about her new friends and only really started liking them after she gave them a makeover. I guess that kind of attitude just rubbed me the wrong way. Her relationship with Jack was also a little weird. One minute they can’t stand each other, the next they are totally committed to each other. I liked Jack and his character grew on me as the story went on. For me it took about 100 pages for me to get into the story. This would probably be rated PG-13 for mild language, underage drinking and other mature content. Overall, it's a pretty clean read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy.

Bookworm Rating: 3.5

Reading Order:
Book One: Stork
Book Two: Frost
Book Three:

Matched by Ally Condie

Genre: YA Fantasy-Dystopian
Publication Date: November 2010
One Word Review: Good
Author Website: www.allysoncondie.com

First Line: “Now that I've found the way to fly, which direction should I go into the night?"

GoodReads Synopsis: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Kathy’s Review: I’m wavering between a 3 and a 4 on this one. I thought the writing was very well done, I got sucked in at the beginning and there were a few cliffhanger chapters that kept me interested and wanting to find out what happened next. I guess I would lean for a lower rating because by the end it didn’t feel like much happened. I knew going into it that this would be the first in a trilogy and expected a lot of world building, etc. It just seemed like too much world building and not enough action. In fact, there really wasn’t any action, maybe there will be more in the next books? It was interesting to see how compliant everyone is with their lack of freedoms. In a way I think this “future” seems more believable than other dystopian books I have read. It seems little by little people are willing to give up certain freedoms and the end result would be very similar to the world Condie has introduced in Matched. It was slow going, but it was nice to see Cassia realize how import individual choice is and that even though it would make the world “messy” there is nothing more important than freedom.

The other reasons I’m leaning for a lower rating was the story did remind me of the Giver series by Lois Lowry. I also didn’t feel anything where the love-triangle is involved. I liked Xander, I’m almost rooting more for him than Ky. Not that I didn’t like Ky, I did like his character, I personally didn’t feel a whole lot of chemistry between Ky and Cassia.

I did enjoy the book and thought the writing was well done. I’m looking forward to reading book two, Crossed, this fall.

Bookworm Rating: 3.5

Reading Order:
Book One: Matched
Book Two: Crossed
Book Three:

Don't Hex With Texas by Shanna Swendson

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: April 2008

One Word Review: Okay

Author Website: www.shannaswendson.com

GoodReads Synopsis: Everything’s bigger in Texas–including romance, magic, and danger!Katie Chandler has fled fast-paced Manhattan and returned home to a simpler life, working at her family’s feed-and-seed store in Cobb, Texas. In a painfully selfless gesture, Katie had left the sexy wizard Owen Palmer to battle his demons in the magical realm–after all, Katie just seemed to attract evil, which only made Owen’s job a lot harder. But now it seems that trouble has followed her home: Despite the fact that Merlin, Katie’s old boss at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has assured her that Cobb is free of enchantmen, (magically speaking), Katie begins to notice curious phenomena. Cobb is being plagued by a series of inexplicable petty crimes and other devilish mischief, and after her experiences in Manhattan, Katie knows “unauthorized magic” when she sees it. As this new darkness strikes deep in the heart of Texas, Owen appears (literally) to investigate. Now Katie’s friends and family must show the bad guys why it’s bad luck to hex with Texas, while Katie and Owen combine their strengths like never before to uncover a sinister plot before evil takes root in the Lone Star State.

Kathy’s Review: I was browsing through my to-read list when I realized I hadn’t read this last installment in the Enchanted, Inc. series. Luckily my library had a copy and I was able to finish the series. For some reason this last installment lost a lot of its charm, overall I was kind of bored with the story. Not a lot happened with the plot or with the relationship between Katie and Owen. Katie seemed a little less “sharp” and Owen was kind of boring. There were no sparks between them and I finished the book feeling like they were more like friends than a couple. I thought the story ended okay, I’ve heard rumor there is supposed to be a fifth book, but I don’t really think it’s necessary. I’d read the next one if the story picked up, Owen stopped blushing and a real relationship grew between Katie and Owen. I think in the right hands, the books would make a cute movie though. If you’ve read the other books then you will probably enjoy this one as well.

Bookworm Rating: 2

Reading Order:
Book One: Enchanted, Inc.
Book Two: Once Upon Stilettos
Book Three: Damsel Under Stress
Book Four: Don’t Hex With Texas

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: August 2010

One Word Review: Good

Author Website: www.juliekagawa.com

First Line: “Why should I trust you?”

GoodReads Synopsis: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Kathy’s Review: I liked this one a tiny bit less than the first. I’m not sure what it was, but it didn’t grab me like the first book did. I still really enjoyed the story and characters, but maybe it was just middle-book syndrome. I was a little frustrated with Meghan this time around, it was obvious who she was going to choose, but led the other guy on anyway. I really waivered between Team Ash and Team Puck this time. The thing I really like about Puck is that he’s a nice guy, all the pranks aside. He’s known and been friends with Meghan for a long time and they have a great foundation. I’m not sure what he sees in her romantically though, they seem more like friends or siblings. Ash has the whole brooding, handsome thing going for him. I think deep down he is a softy and has a good heart, but he has to put on a mean face. Which brings me to what really bothered me with Meghan. At the beginning she tells Ash that she trusts him, and yet when that trust is put to the test she totally doubts him. She’s spent enough time with him that she should know his motivations, but acts all confused when he acts different around his family. I can understand why she had some doubts, but when she made such a big deal about trusting him I was hoping to see that trust put into action.

The overall story was still entertaining and kept me reading. I liked seeing our old friend Grim and a few new ones. There is a scene near the end that seemed a little out of place with everything going on (high school prom), it was still a fun read and has me looking forward to the last book, The Iron Queen.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Reading Order:
Book One: The Iron King
Book 1.5: Winters Passage
Book Two: The Iron Daughter
Book Three: The Iron Queen