Review: Skies of Olympus: Books One, Two & Three

Skies of Olympus: Books One, Two & Three by Eliza Raine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lyssa is unexpectedly visited by one of the gods. She is requested to join the upcoming tournaments to compete for immortal life. Whoever wins the tournament and their team will be rewarded immortality. If that's not tempting enough, she'll have time to go after her father and avenge her mother and brother's death once and for all.

I was very impressed with how unique this story was. I wanted to just keep reading! It also definitely puts Hercules in a new light for me. I used to be obsessed with anything to do with Hercules as a child. I won't get into that. We aren't talking about my childhood. We are talking about a well-written book. This book not only gives an intense read through all the tasks, but the sarcasm and wit were pretty amazing too.

Reviewing this book days after I listened to it has caused me to forget a lot of the names. Lyssa is the main character. She is also the daughter of Hercules. Hercules killed her mother and brother and claimed the god of jealousy made him do it. Instead of being punished, he remained popular and untouchable. Lyssa is rightly upset about it. She's fierce and loyal and she has an amazing team on her side. She also has somebody who joins her team. They don't get along, but he seems to be a great asset. If for nothing else but his sarcasm.

This book was narrated by Elizabeth Evans. I haven't listened to anything else narrated by her as far as I know. I am willing to listen to future books from here. I was very impressed with this book. I'm hoping that she does the rest of the series as well. It wouldn't be the same if she doesn't!

The title of this alone kind of gives an idea of what the story is about. However, it is still a very unique tale. I was quite impressed. I thought that I might have been mistaken with my impression until the gods started showing up and being referenced in the story. I loved it and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

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Review: Club Dead

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bill has been secretive. Sookie is unsure what to think. She's annoyed and confused when he tells her he's going away. She lets it go and goes about her life after he leaves until he turns up missing. The vampires send her to Mississippi to find out what happened to Bill and why? They want to see if she can find out about the secret project he's been working on.

I'm beginning to think that I never read books 2 and 3 when I first read the books. Either that or I skipped certain parts. I feel like I read both books for the very first time. Maybe it's possible it feels like the first time because I'm actually reading the series in order. I really enjoy this series. I loved it the first time around. I was sad I never finished it.

I really like Sookie. I admire her set of morals, but there are times she's just a bit too much. She gets a bit overdramatic at times. In a way, I think it's a defense mechanism. She's heard the way others think about her all her life. It has to be unnerving. So hearing similar things to the negative thoughts has to put her in automatic defense mode. It's just a bit much. I'd like to see more of Pam and Sam in the series.

I wound up having to listen to this book in audiobook due to time constraint issues. It's narrated by Johanna Parker. Books 1 and 2 are as well. She did a pretty great job. I felt like I was actually in Bon Temps. She made it very authentic. I sincerely felt like I was actually there. I loved it!

Whether I actually read it originally a long time ago or this is the first time I read it, I really did enjoy the read. There have been parts of the series that were confusing me over the years. Re-reading has definitely answered many of those questions. I'm sure even more will be answered as time goes. It's a great series. I'm glad I'm finally getting to read it in order and complete it!

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Review: The Darkest Minds

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ruby's life is normal until a virus gets out and changes the world as everyone knows it for good. Many children are developing psychic powers. Some more dangerous than others. Some of the children are unexpectedly dying. Ruby finds herself going to a camp on her tenth birthday. Where she remains until something happens in her favor.

While I enjoyed this book very much, I don't feel like it meets the hype that I've heard about it. I don't know how to explain that. I just expected something completely different. In a way, I'm kind of glad to be wrong. So, I don't really see this as a bad thing. There's nothing wrong with that. It definitely made a very interesting read. I really enjoyed it a lot. I'm looking forward to watching the movie adaptation of it.I'm a little nervous too if I'm being honest.

I really liked Ruby. I got where she was coming from. I just felt that she was a bit robotic at times. She made choices in the book that I did not agree with at all! My heart did go out to her for the pain and guilt she felt over things she couldn't control. I definitely loved Zu, Chubs, and Liam. I did find the communications between the four of them a little disturbing. In places they could have communicated better and compared notes, they didn't. They just acted like the responses of the other person was weird.

I wound up listening to this in audiobook. I bought a box set of the books, but I realized I had the audiobook for it. I noticed that the narrator was Amy McFadden. She narrated The Paper Magician series. I listened to those books and enjoyed her narration very much. The name seems very familiar to me, but I can't really place why I would know it. Either way, she's talented.

I'm so glad that I have finally gotten the time to read this book. I enjoyed it very much! I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I'm also excited to find a way to watch the movie. I'll definitely be writing up a review of the movie once I'm able to watch it.

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Review: Not the End

Not the End by Gianna Gabriela
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dimah's dreams finally come true. The boy she adores asks her to prom. Before she knows it, her dream becomes a nightmare. If that's not bad enough, she gets constantly humiliated and bullied at school. Rather than stand up for herself and tell the truth, she chooses to fade into the shadows. Until a boy comes into her life and changes everything.

I really felt for Dimah. I can't explain how much this story hit for me. It hurts me so much that things like this happen and nobody does anything about it. There was a problem I had with this book. A person of authority bought into the gossip and completely went out of line. I'd have liked to have saw something done about that. Maybe it did and I missed it. I don't want to say too much. While this is a short read, I still feel it's well worth the read.

I can't remember the boy's name, but I wish there were more people like him in the world. The ones that see somebody who's broken and needs somebody. Somebody who's willing to help somebody out of the dark hole we find ourselves in and let them know it's okay and that they aren't alone. I feel if more people like that exist, things might be different. I related very much to Dimah. I wasn't bullied, but I was shamed a lot for things I did and things people thought I did and didn't.

This book was narrated by Amanda Stribling. She did a fantastic job. I knew that she would. She narrated The Kings of Linwood trilogy. She did an amazing job with that as well. I'm shocked she was able to keep her emotion so controlled with this book. It impressed me. I have a feeling it wasn't too easy behind the scenes. Who knows?

I thought this book was going to be very cringy when I first came across it. I loved the cover though. Also, if I'm being honest, I'm a sucker for happily ever after type books. No matter how goofy they are. It just gives one hope on the world in all honesty. This is heavy. It may be triggering to some. It is very beautifully written. I loved the special part in the end as well. It was encouraging.

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Review: INSTINCT

INSTINCT by Hanleigh Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

He wants her. He's been tracking her for weeks. He finds the smell of her blood intoxicating. He wants to drain the life from her. But for some reason, he wants to know her and protect her more. He wants to drain her, but he feels it will be a waste. The thought of wanting to keep her alive confuses him.

This was a decent book. I really did enjoy the read. It was a very short and easy read. I wound up finishing it while playing a game I enjoy. I don't really have any issues with the book exactly. It just wasn't something I feel like I could fully gush over either. The only thing I can say is I feel like it would have been a longer book. I feel like there were certain things that needed to be explained better.

I can't really say I felt a connection to the characters. Then again, I did feel like I could relate a bit to the female lead. She was smart and loves to read. I just felt like I didn't really get enough time to fully get to know her. That's why I didn't feel a connection. There were no real secondary characters. Other people are referenced, but it's mainly the vampire and the waitress. The vampire was a bit repetitive honestly.

Debbie Soelter narrated this book. She did a decent job, but there were certain parts where she sounded a bit choppy. Other than that, I really enjoyed the narration. The choppy thing may just be me being overly picky. I'm not really sure in all honesty. I would still listen to other books narrated by her. She has a sweet voice.

This is a very short read. It sits at about a hundred pages. Even though I wouldn't say I was in love with the book, I did like it. It was a nice read. I do recommend it. For those that read it, I'd love to know what book that you feel like the waitress was reading. I have some theories. I'd like to know if others have the same theories as me!

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Review: Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon

Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The beloved Pride And Prejudice is retold in a very unique way. Some of our beloved classical characters can hear dragons. They can also communicate with dragons. Every estate has a dragon keeper. Mr. Darcy is in major trouble. Somebody has stolen a dragon egg from his estate. He must find the egg before it hatches.

I am so happy I stumbled upon this book! I love Pride and Prejudice. I read the book at least five times. To the best of my knowledge. I love retellings. I still have many to read, but the ones I have read are great. Especially ones from classical books. I was impressed with the fact that direct quotes from the original book are put in this book. It adds to the story in my opinion.

I obviously love all the characters from Pride and Prejudice. I loved that the dragons in this book had such amazing personalities! It was quite impressive. I'm a sucker for sarcastic characters and animals that are given personalities in books! I have always related to Mary out of the five daughters. I feel like she didn't have enough of a role in the book. That's just my opinion.

This book was narrated by Benjamin Fife. He did a pretty impressive job. I was NOT prepared for the very high pitched voices that he gave the dragons. Well, the fairy dragons. I was impressed. I don't think I could have pitched that if I tried! I'm almost certain that I haven't listened to any books he's narrated before. I'm willing to listen to more.

I'm so glad that I found this book! It's definitely a book that I can classify as I didn't know I needed until I found it. I noticed that this book is the first book in a series! I am here for this! I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I definitely fell in love with this book!

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Review: The Clockmaker's Daughter

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

While preparing for her wedding, Elodie stumbles upon something at work that reminds her of stories that she heard in childhood. Doing some digging, she discovers that the stories her mother used to tell her before she passed away may have been built around a mystery that happened over a hundred years before her time. A mystery involving a thief and an artist and a robbery gone wrong.

I really enjoyed this book. This is the second Kate Morton book that I have read. Both of them were very beautifully written. They are both very sad books. I'm not going to lie. It's like she goes out of her way to make a happy ending book that's laced with sorrow. It's not really a bad thing. It definitely makes you think. It also gives a big air of realism.

There are many characters in the book. Including the ghost of a model who passed away in Birchwood Manor. I loved her parts in the book the best. I loved how observant she was of everybody who came into the manor over the years after she passed away. She even kept up with technology by observing people. It was impressive. Elodie was a very nice person, but it felt like she was going through the motion in most of the book. I can relate to that, but it's still sad.

Joanne Froggatt was the narrator of this book. I'm recalling the name from memory. I hope I didn't spell it wrong. She did a pretty impressive job. I only had one issue, but it was more personal preference than it was an actual problem with the book. I feel like she could have changed her tone influx for the time era changes. Again, this is just a personal preference.

I knew I'd enjoy this book from the moment I got it. The cover is gorgeous. The description pulled me in. After reading The Forgotten Garden, I had a feeling it would be a beautifully tragic story. I was not wrong at all. It's definitely worth the read. I'm glad I took the chance reading it.

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Review: The Best Is Yet to Come

The Best Is Yet to Come by John F. Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of short stories. Therefore, I feel like it would be best if I give my thoughts on each story individually. I will then give my final thoughts on the book overall. This review will be a tad longer than my normal reviews. My normal reviews focus on stating what the story is about, my thoughts on it and the characters, my thoughts on the narration when possible, and my overall thoughts of all.

The Chocolate Malt: This one was very tragic and sad. Even though I'm saying this, I still wish some details would have been clarified and explained a little better. Other than that, I really did enjoy the story. It covers some real issues.

The Sweetest Autumn: Couldn't relate to the main character at all. She was full of herself. If she didn't understand it, then it was horrible. She was full of prejudices about almost everything. The message behind the story was pretty amazing.

Lazarus: This was a pretty interesting story. If it ever turns into a series of novels, I'd definitely read it. I kind of wanted more to the story than was given quite frankly. It definitely could have been a lot longer.

The African Princess: This one was a very tragic story. I believe it could cause a bit of triggering due to some sensitive issues that get brought up in this book. It is definitely not a story to read aloud to your children. Then again, I don't think any of the stories in here really are.

Forest Of Shadows: This story disturbed me a bit. It also contains a few adult scenes in it. This is also another story that I felt could have been drawn out to add a bit more context to it. Maybe that's just my opinion.

Hoodratz: This story definitely needs a trigger warning. There are also a few things that I didn't really care for in the book that I don't want to discuss publicly. It is a nice little PSA of the dangers we can get ourselves into, but I'll leave it at that.

The Ivory Christmas: I really enjoyed this story. It was like a fairy tale does adult crime show. It was a refreshing little mix. There was a part that talked about an old tale but gave it a new spin that I thought was nice. The original is super cringy.

The Legend Of MatcheMonedo: This story was completely creepy. I feel like it would be the perfect kind of campfire spooky story. It wouldn't be appropriate for young children, but for older teens and young adults, it would be great. It kind of reads like a mini horror movie honestly.

The Adventures Of Star Blazer: This was a pretty impressive read. I think this is one of my favorite of the stories, to be honest. In my honest opinion, I believe this would be better suited for a novel or novella at the very least. There's a lot more of the story that I would have liked to read. I'd of loved to have been able to connect with the characters more and get to know them.

Witch Way Is Up?: This was my favorite one. It had some Buffy vibes. It also had some True Blood Vibes. I also felt a little Night Myst vibes. I'm not sure if anybody is familiar with that book. I absolutely loved it. I need to go back and read the book again and the rest of the series honestly. I need more! That's all I can say.

I really enjoyed all these stories. I don't think that any of them are completed by any means. I feel like I was basically reading pitches about novels or movies. I feel like a lot could have been added to all of the stories. I also feel like most of the stories could use a bit of a rewrite. They all have amazing potential. I can't wait to see what else this author comes up with!

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Review: Tom's Inheritance: Young Adult Arthurian Fantasy

Tom's Inheritance: Young Adult Arthurian Fantasy by T.J. Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tom's grandfather suddenly goes missing. The only thing that he says is that he's going on a trip. Nobody thinks anything of it until he doesn't return. When Tom starts to worry, a mysterious package shows up from his grandfather stating that he won't be returning. Tom is left with more questions than he had before. He now thinks that his grandfather may be in danger.

While I wished for a bit more with this book, I really enjoyed it. It was very clever and unique. I love how each of the elements are portrayed as worlds in this book. It's brilliant in my eyes! The only issue I had with the book was that it was too short for me. I say that about a lot of books. I love long stories. They are my preference. I do adore short stories as well.

I really loved the wit and wisdom of all the characters in the book. I love that a few of the characters in the book are one of my favorite paranormal creatures. Fairies! I can't get enough of them. I was convinced I was a fairy as a child. I'll leave it at that. The main character was pretty awesome except for a small part of the book where I wanted to smack him. I'm sure we have that issue with a lot of characters we read about.

This book was narrated by Nick Howden-Steenstra. I really enjoyed hearing the accent. I'm not sure if it's his own accent or one that he uses for narrating. I do know that it's very soothing. It made an already enjoyable story that much more enjoyable. I have not listened to anything else by this narrator, but I would definitely be willing to!

While this book was too short for my taste, I really did enjoy it. I am looking forward to picking up the rest of the series and seeing what happens from there. It's unique and intriguing. I should mention that it is a King Author retelling. So to speak. It's still very impressive. I loved the way they spun it.

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Review: Anybody Want to Play WAR?

Anybody Want to Play WAR? by Tommy B. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bryce's world changes when he's attacked by a dog that had just got done killing another man. He barely made it out of the ordeal alive. From then, he struggles with facing other people. Including his parents. Not knowing what else to do, he runs away and tries to start a life on his own.

This book needs a LOT of work. The important issue with the book is that some of the descriptions are a bit choppy at best. It's not too horrible, but it is noticeable. Another thing I noticed was the time gaps that aren't really fully explained. It also goes back into the past with no warning at all. I had to reread several passages to figure out where I was.

I just couldn't when any of the characters in this book at all. I empathized with them all for their situations, but their attitudes were not great at all. Starting with the main character. I assumed he was fourteen for the most part of the book. I found out he was actually sixteen. He has such a horrible attitude and no sense of what he's done wrong. If that isn't bad enough, nobody actually listens to him which just fuels the fire and provokes him into making more bad decisions than he already made! It's frustrating! I get that everybody has issues, but this seems to magnify it all.

I have put this book down a lot. That makes me feel bad. I know the author of this book put a lot of work into writing this. I want to say that I feel like it has a lot of great potential. It definitely could use a polish. I also feel like it could be renamed. The name doesn't exactly make sense with the book itself. I assumed it was about a veteran or an active soldier. This is just my opinion. I encourage everybody who wants to give it a try to go for it.

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Review: Becoming Human

Becoming Human by Samantha C. Bell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mary is a reaper. For fifty years, she performs her duties without complaint. She hates what she does, and she hates humans. She hits her breaking point when she's expected to start mentoring new reapers. She blows up and terrifies her first charge. As a punishment, she's made into a human to learn the true extent of human nature. She will remain a human until she's learned the lesson she's meant to learn.

I really wanted to love this book. I mean the concept of the plot is absolutely amazing. I loved it. There were just many things I didn't really care for. One of the biggest issues I had was the fluid way time went by that wasn't really clarified in some spots. So I got a little lost now and then. I will admit that most of my dislike is because I'm an adult. Some of it was just too juvenile for me. Don't get me wrong, I understand teenage things. I was a teenager once. It's hard to explain. I will restate that I loved the concept behind this plot.

My BIGGEST issue is that I really could not stand Mary at all. I will admit that I warmed up to her a little towards the end. It was literally at the very end. There were things that she did through the ENTIRE book that just made me want to yell. It was so frustrating! Then there was the fact that she went from not understanding one second to completely knowing about it in all context another. With no show of her learning or figuring it out. It was very frustrating. That and the fact that she had snide judgmental comments through the entire book!

This book was narrated by Taylor Barton. I really enjoyed her narration. She did an amazing job. I especially love her depiction of each and every character. She took the time to give every one of them a voice behind their personality. I know this is a given with narration, but it's not always done properly. I love when narrators nail it as fully as she did.

I was not in love with this book. It was mainly because of my complete dislike of the main character. I will admit that most of the reason I didn't care for this book was personal. I fully encourage anybody who is interested to give it a shot anyway. While I may not have fully enjoyed it, somebody else may fall in love with it. I fully respect their opinion.

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Review: Ice on Fire: Knights of Silence MC Book 2

Ice on Fire: Knights of Silence MC Book 2 by Amy Cecil
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ice has been given an ultimatum. Kill himself or watch everybody he loves die. He agrees to the plan not giving away he has the upper hand. After taking the person down, he goes into hiding until he can make sure that his loved ones aren't going to be in further danger than they already have been.

I was on edge waiting for this one. The last book ended on an intense cliff hanger. And it just so happens that this one ends on a cliffhanger too. I'm already into the story! I don't need more of a reason to be into it! It's infuriating! I believe this is the third book that I've read by this author. She's incredibly talented. I can honestly say that she will be placed on my instant buy list.

It's amazing how much I admire all the characters in this book. I can't really say I relate to any of them. I do adore them, though. I do wish there was more interaction and dialogue in this series. I also wish that certain scenes and scenarios would be played out a bit more. I wouldn't complain if these books were super long!

I'm a bit disappointed with the narration in this book. Both Mark and Maya Bravo narrated the first book as well. I didn't have any problem with that one. I didn't really have a BIG problem with this one. There were just a few sections where they didn't really sound like they were putting their all into the story. I really think I'm just being picky here, but it did take away from the story a bit for me.

I loved the first book in this series which made me crave getting my hands on this book. It also made me completely devour the book in one sitting. I was excited for it. It shouldn't have really come as a shock to me that it ended the way it did! I need more! I crave more! This is probably not healthy.

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Review: A Thread of Grace

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Claudette and her father find themselves in the middle of Chaos in Italy. Italy has broken ties with Germany. Between the Nazis invading and looking for Jewish people and people attempting to fight them off, many people are forced into hiding. Every day is faced with danger. People find themselves praying every day for the war to end. This story is based on actual events.

I read this for book club. I will be going to the meeting in a few weeks. I really enjoyed it. It was just really overwhelming for me. Luckily things weren't graphic, but it's not hard to realize what's going on. It's not hard to remember all that I learned about the war. I also found the book really hard to understand at first. That changed once I switched to audio.

About the characters. There were really so many characters. It was very overwhelming. There was a little boy who I couldn't wrap my head around. He was glad his sister was dead. He wouldn't care if his parents died. It just screamed sociopath to me. It chilled me. I'm not even going to lie. Claudette was a very passionate woman. I did like her. The rest of them I just got a bit confused over.

I can't remember the name of the person who narrated the audiobook. I turned in the book before I even thought about it. I had checked the audiobook out from the library. She was very good. I felt like I was actually in Italy in the 1940s. It was hard to get back into my surroundings when I was finished listening to the audio every time. It was intense!

I really did enjoy this story. It just makes me sad. That entire time frame makes me sad. I couldn't imagine how people dealt with things back then. The fear they must have gone through every day. It's just a lot to process. It's very great that people write about history. I hold on to the belief that if we keep the memories alive that we won't make the same mistakes again. Only time will tell.

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Review: The Complete Sun-Blessed Trilogy

The Complete Sun-Blessed Trilogy by Carol Beth Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tavi is born facing the sun. This is a great honor in her world. What's even more amazing is that she's fully blessed. Something that has never happened before. Even being born twice blessed is rare. People live with the restrictions of their gifts until somebody discovers a way to remove the restriction. An army is built and the government is overthrown.

This is a pretty interesting portrayal of good versus evil. I really enjoyed it a lot. The first two were a little underwhelming to me, but I didn't have a problem with it. I still enjoyed the story. I just felt like it was missing something that I couldn't quite explain.

The author narrated the trilogy. She did a pretty fantastic job. I was very impressed. For a while, I was convinced she was the narrator for another series I listened to and loved. Sadly, I have discovered that she was not the same narrator. I'd listen to other audiobooks she narrates. Even if it's other author's work.

While this wasn't my favorite trilogy of all time, I still enjoyed it very much. I have reviews for each book posted individually. I feel like they are better detailed than this review is. I do better at individual reviews than trilogy/series reviews. I do highly recommend this trilogy for those who like chosen one and good versus evil stories.

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Review: Facing the Fire

Facing the Fire by Carol Beth Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Grays have taken over. Despite all the efforts from the Golds, they managed to overtake the government and change the system entirely. The Golds are now in danger. They are wanted for many different supposed crimes to the new King and Queen. They must stay hidden and find a successful way to shut they Grays down once and for all.

I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I think it might even be my favorite book of the entire trilogy. It held my attention for the entire book. If I could have gotten away with finishing the book in one sitting, I would have. In a heartbeat. There were some things I feel could have been detailed a little bit differently, but it wasn't really anything major. I'm probably being just nit-picky.

I went back and forth on my thoughts on Tavi. She has great potential. She also has a great deal of responsibility on her plate. She's the ONLY person that's ALL blessed! That's a lot to process. There's nobody who can fully understand exactly what she's going through. It's just that she doesn't really process things properly. She also doesn't communicate with others well. She expects everybody to include her, but she wants to do things alone. Yes, the intentions are honorable, but still. I don't want to butcher the names, but I loved the rest of the Golds too. Especially Tavi's love interest. He's so sarcastic. I'm a sucker for sarcastic characters.

The author narrated this book and the first two books. I stated in previous reviews that she's an incredible narrator. I stand by that. If she narrates any of her other books or for other authors, I will gladly pick up a copy of the audiobook and listen to it. She has great vocals. It's amazing how much of a pull she has. She definitely pulled me right into the story.

While I feel like this trilogy could have used a lot more flair and dramatics, I really enjoyed it. I may not consider this one of my favorite trilogies of all time. This book was the best of the three. It definitely hit a lot of the expectations that I had for this book. I was also impressed that I was never able to predict anything in this entire trilogy. I love that I was completely floored with every turn!

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Review: Facing the Gray

Facing the Gray by Carol Beth Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tavi is devastated when the Grays kill somebody important to her. In her grief, she turns away from everyone and determines to take the Grays down by herself. She's determined to take them down no matter what the cost. Even if that means she becomes a Gray herself.

This trilogy has maintained the same pace. I do enjoy it a lot. I just feel that it's not meeting its full potential. It's a lovely story full of lovely characters. I also love that everything is explained very discreetly. Especially the time gaps. It's pretty great. It definitely helps keep confusion at bay. It's one of the things that really bothers me. I hate when there's a time gap but it's not really clear.

I really can't say I loved Tavi in this book. I wanted to smack her in more than one instance. I did understand why she was being the way she was being though. It's natural to grieve. We all grieve in our own ways. I also didn't like the fact that none of her friends seemed to even try to understand. I can understand that too. They didn't really fully get the extent of her struggles.

The author also narrated this book. She did fantastically. I'm still somewhat convinced that she narrated this series I listened to. It's not realistic. There's a different name listed. It just sounds like her so much. If she ever decides to narrate as well as write, I'd definitely buy books she narrates. She has a talent for it. When I say that, I mean narrate other people's books.

I really did like this book very much. I fully recommend the person reads Facing The Sun first. It helps make sense of this book a lot more. I am both excited for the third and final book of the trilogy and nervous. I'm excited because I can't wait to see where the story goes. I'm nervous because, after this, there's no more! It's insane. I'll be willing to risk it anyway.

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Review: Facing the Sun

Facing the Sun by Carol Beth Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tavi is born facing the sun. This is a very big thing in her world. Those born facing the sun are given a gift. There are some who even have two gifts. Tavi is special. She's born full blessed. This is a rarity that has never happened before. In other parts of the world, something else that has never happened before happens. Somebody has learned another way to obtain gifts. Another way to live life. One without restrictions.

I really enjoyed this story. I LOVED the idea behind the story. I just feel that it didn't fully live up to its potential. I'm not saying I hated the story or that it wasn't worth reading. I just feel like I expected a lot more. I really don't know how to fully explain it. Maybe I can put my finger on the exact reason why I feel this way with the rest of the trilogy. It is a very beautiful and wholesome story though. I will say that.

Tavi has got to be one of the most well-rounded children I have ever read about. I mean she has her moments where she's jealous or she's childish. She recognizes she's doing it though. She also recognizes it's wrong. I'm horrible with names, so I can't really say all the other characters. There were some adorable ones though. I loved Tavi's older sister and her cousin. They were such great supportive characters. Then the "meadow boy" I loved his wit. Give me a character with wit or snark and you will have me fall in love with a book.

I listened to this book and read along when I could. The book was narrated by the author herself. I really liked her voice. She has a talent for narration. I've considered getting into narration myself. I've also considered writing books. It's nice to know that the option of narrating my own books is an option. I had to double-check that this was her first narration. Her narrating reminded me of another narrator I listened to in the past.

While I feel like this book didn't quite meet it's potential, I really enjoyed the story very much. I look forward to seeing where the rest of the trilogy takes us. I see many great things in store for the lovely Tavi. I am also unsure of what will happen with the greys. It's hard to give a solid opinion on them. I'd like to see how that unfolds.

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Review: Man Fast

Man Fast by Krista Sandor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Abby Quin finds herself unsure of what to do. Her boyfriend and first love has decided to leave her. On a whim, she decides to move to Colorado to be with her cousin. She also decides to go on a man fast and focus on her career. She thinks that will be a walk in the park until she meets Brennen Bergen. Brennen's family is tired of his playboy ways. They inform him that he will be cut off unless he changes his ways and gets serious.

So I'm guilty of avoiding reading blurbs about books at all costs. If somebody tells me to read a book they think I'll love, I do. No questions asked. That was definitely how this book went. So I won't lie. I thought I was going to absolutely hate it. I honestly did for awhile. Which is why it isn't getting a perfect rating. It grew on me though. The author is definitely very creative. I thought this was going to be a cheesy predictable novel. It was cheesy, but it definitely wasn't predictable. It was nice.

I feel like I admired Abby the most. She was really mature from the beginning. She wasn't overly dramatic. She knew what she needed to focus on and did so. I didn't really care for Brennen in the beginning. He was annoying and full of himself. I guess that was kind of the point. It's not said in the book so I'm not spoiling anything, but I'm convinced that grandma put him in that school for a reason. She was the mastermind. I'd of loved to see a bit of her perspective in this book.

This book was narrated by Monica King. She is a fantastic narrator. I was very impressed with how she portrayed each character. It was like they were all given a fresh breath of life. I won't say that she's the only narrator with this talent, but I definitely will listen to other narrations by her in the future. She knows how to captivate an audience.

My initial impression of this book was that it was going to be so cliché and boring. I thought I was going to predict it to the very end. I was very wrong. I'm happy to say that. I'm also happy to say that I am looking forward to getting my hands on the rest of this series. It's been a very fluffy and fun read.

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Review: Orphan X

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Evan isn't your normal man. He's more commonly known as nowhere man. If somebody is in trouble, all they have to do is call a number that they are given by somebody else who was in trouble in the past. He comes in and saves the day, so to speak. Everything is going smoothly for him until somebody starts hunting him. They use his need to protect people against him to lure him out. Soon he discovers he's not the only Orphan left.

I enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I would. I knew I'd enjoy it. It kind of gave off a Dean Koontz kind of vibe. It's not really as dark as I would picture a Dean Koontz book. It's very well written. I wound up getting a credit to it to listen to it on audio as well. Thank goodness for doing that. I had a headache so I couldn't read, so I wound up listening to audio most of today.

I'm not really sure if I can give an accurate description of all of the characters. With the exception of Evan himself. He's like Agent 47 from the Hitman series. That's the parallels I was drawing through the book. I can't wait to see more of him through the rest of the series. To see what he gets into as the series progresses.

This book was narrated by Scott Brick. He did a pretty amazing job with it. I'm almost sure that my cat was listening to the audiobook as well. I'd shout out names of people I thought were about to die and he'd have an alarmed look on his face. I mean I could be wrong, but who knows?

I wouldn't say I had high expectations of this book. I also wouldn't say that my expectations were low either. I thought I'd enjoy it. I didn't know that I would LOVE it and crave more. I'm glad I did. I can't wait to proceed with the rest of the series. I know that book five will be coming out later this month. Maybe I'll have the first four done before then so I'm ready for it!

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Review: Escaping from Houdini

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Audrey Rose and Thomas are on their way to America. They are treated to a carnival show on the way to their destination. Everything is going great until a young lady who is at the same table as Audrey Rose and Thomas is murdered. If a murder on the ship with the potential of other murders isn't bad enough, Audrey Rose finds that her cousin has gone missing.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. If I'm being honest, I was fully expecting the series to go downhill. I expected to like the rest of the series but wonder why they existed. That has not been the case so far. All of them have been amazing in their own way. What I love best is the fact that the author is so creative. She does her research fully. Yes, she embellishes some things, but she owns up to that. It's absolutely brilliant.

I still feel like I relate fully to Audrey Rose. I feel like there are times she's completely robotic. I think that's because she's torn between what she really wants and society's rules. By this point, I fully expect hilarious wit from Thomas. I am never disappointed in that regard. I really do wish there were more interactions with the Uncle and Mrs. Harvey. I also wish they had more interactions with each other. It's like they exist in the same areas but they don't really interact. It's weird.

I won't say this is my favorite book of the series, but I enjoyed it very much. I am looking forward to reading the next one. I'm not sure if it's the final book. I really hope it isn't. I have enjoyed this series very much. It has quickly become one of my favorite series of all time. I promise it's for more reason than just the witty Thomas.

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Review: Dead Until Dark

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sookie Stackhouse has been looking forward to meeting a vampire since they came out to the public. She finally gets her wish after two long years. A vampire comes into the bar she works at out of nowhere. Sadly, a vampire showing up isn't the only thing new thing that happens. Women who have been with vampires start getting murdered.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not my first time reading it, but I read the series out of order the first time I read it. It was very embarrassing for me. I always vowed that I would go back and read the series in order. I have a few books at the end to read that I never read. I have a feeling that I will see this series completely differently this time around. I may even be ready to watch the show.

I'm not really sure I can actively give my opinion on the character. I have read nine books in the series. Out of order, yes, but enough to have an opinion of these characters that don't pertain to this book. I can say that I don't really like how Sookie is portrayed in the beginning of the book. She's portrayed as really stupid. Then, later in the book, she gets huffy if it's thought she's stupid. It just seems contradictory.

Running behind on schedule, I wound up listening to the audiobook. I got a deal because I owned the ebook. I love those deals. The narrator did a pretty amazing job. The book was narrated by Johanna Parker. I love how authentic she sounded to what I pictured of the book/series. I once listened to a book from a series that I love. I was disappointed to find that the person who narrated the book just didn't fit my idea of the narration of the story. Not that she wasn't good. She just didn't fit in my opinion. That wasn't the case with this one. She was AMAZING!

I'm glad that I took the time to re-read this book. I'm glad I'm finally getting the chance to read this series in order. I'm also looking forward to reading the last few books in the series. There were quite a few things that I had forgotten about the book. Including the fact that it had a slow start in my opinion. It's been an amazing read. I'll probably read it again in the future.




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Review: Apollo's Raven

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

King Amren is cursed by his ex-wife at her execution. Years later, it's discovered that his youngest daughter is the one the curse is referring to. His son that he disowned has also come back around to cause chaos and try to remove him from the throne. Together, the King and his daughter must work together to discover who they can trust and who they can't.

I really did enjoy this book very much. I can't say I was in love with it. There were many aspects that left a lot to be desired. I may or may not continue to to read the series. It depends on my reading schedule really. I have a lot of books on my reading pile to tackle. The book had a lot of potential. This book speaks of sex, but there are not many fully erotic scenes. Sex does happen twice in the book, but it doesn't really get fully detailed.

I really wanted to like the characters of this book. I tried very hard. Especially the daughter. She was passionate. I found myself relating to her in many ways. There's just a disconnect with the characters that I can't really explain. I think a lot of the characters should have had a bigger role in the books than they did. I didn't dislike any of the characters. I just had no real feelings at all.

I got a really good deal on the audiobook since I owned an ebook, so I decided to give it a shot. It was narrated by Kristin James. I really enjoyed her narration, but she wasn't really consistent. She gave characters a certain accent in part of the book and a different one in another part of the book. It wasn't really confusing. It just was a little weird for me. She also used accents of places that weren't really referenced in the book. At least to my hearing. I will say that I find that it may be possible this is a good reason why I wasn't as enthused about the book itself.

All in all, I can't say I really hated the book. I can't say it will be included in my favorite reads at the end of the year. There's a small chance I may read it again or continue the series. I will see how I feel in the future. I can say that I really enjoyed the cover very much. It does add a bit of a lure to the story itself.

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Review: The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness

The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eight completely normal patients made it into mental hospitals as pseudopatients. It leads to an article in Science called Being Sane Insane Places. Cahalan does extensive research and attempts to track down the pseudopatients so she can get the stories from their perspectives. She also uses notes and the manuscript of his unfinished novel to help her decipher as well.

I really enjoyed this book. I had a feeling I would. I read Cahalan's memoir, Brain On Fire. That was a pretty amazing book as well. I will admit that it was a bit terrifying as well. It was well worth the read. I had every bit of confidence that she would make this one well worth the read as well. I was not disappointed at all. I even learned some things. I may have even added some books from this book to my TBR list.

As this book is a nonfiction book, talking about characters would be pointless. It talks about a study that may or may not have been fabricated to coincide with the researcher's thesis. There's no real evidence pointing either way. Either way, Cahalan did a great deal of research. I was both shocked and impressed to learn that she spent five years doing research for this project. That is true dedication right there.

I don't read a lot of nonfiction books. I really hope to amend that soon. My goal is to start reading more nonfiction books. I won't stop reading fictional books. They will always be my go-to reads. I just want to be more well-read. Cahalan really does a great job engaging the reader and keeping them informed and interested. I have never been so impressed.

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