Monday, January 30, 2017

Review: Worthy of Song and Story

Worthy of Song and Story Worthy of Song and Story by Neal Chase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Worthy of Song and Story by Neal Chase is the first book of the Stian the Viking series. Twelve-year-old Stian wants to be the best viking ever. He wants to prove this by going on a raid with his father, but ends up being saved, but by whom he doesn't know. He is then captured by a dark elf named Dahlia, on her mother's command. Stian finds out his father isn't who he thought, and that Loki is his real father. Stian and Dahlia set off on a quest to free Stian's Loki from the prison that Odin has thrown him into.

This story is set in viking times, but the dialogue is in the present. Preteens will get a kick out of Stian and Dahlia's banter. This story has a bit of action and humor with a bit of feels thrown in.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Saturday, January 28, 2017

Review: Worthy of Song and Story

Worthy of Song and Story Worthy of Song and Story by Neal Chase
My rating: 0 of 5 stars



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Review: The Lizard Queen Volume One

The Lizard Queen Volume One The Lizard Queen Volume One by H.L. Cherryholmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Lizard Queen by H.L. Cherryholmes is an intricate story comprised of three parts in the first volume. This Shrinking World, From the Ashes, and A Spectacular Lie. We follow Amy Darlidale as she mysteriously finds herself in another world. She is believed to be the one sent to fulfill a prophecy, but not all believe she is the one, and she finds herself in danger. With the help of the young companions who find her, she sets out to find out her role in the prophecy.

H.L. Cherryholmes does a fabulous job of creating an intricate fantasy world, and well developed characters that are completely believable. You become highly invested in these characters, and soon you find yourself whisked away into this fantastical world. The only problem I had with this book is that it is extremely detailed. A bit too detailed for my taste, but it is a well written novel.

I won this book in a giveaway, and received a copy from the author. All opinions are my own.



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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Review: Freaks of Nature

Freaks of Nature Freaks of Nature by Wendy Brotherlin
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Freaks of Nature by Wendy Brotherlin is not what I expected. Going by the blurb, it's a story about fifteen-year-old Devon McWilliams. He doesn't have the best psychic abilities, in his opinion, so he escapes from the psionic detainment facility. This book starts out strong for the first eleven pages. We meet Devon, we watch him escape, then he's caught. That is where the story stops being about Devon, for the most part. We're introduced to several characters, but Devon is no longer the main character. The execution of this story fell very flat for me. I never really got to know Devon, which was disheartening. The story is fairly well written, but not enough to redeem itself from the lack of story development. I won this book in a giveaway and all opinions are my own.

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Sunday, January 22, 2017

Review: Playing Dead

Playing Dead Playing Dead by Allison Brennan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Playing Dead by Allison Brennan is the third book in the Prison Break Trilogy but it can stand alone. It's about Tom O'Brien, an ex-cop imprisoned and sentenced to death for his wife and her lover's murders. Claire, his daughter, believes he is guilty until she meets Oliver, a law student who claims to have proof of her father's innocence. She starts questioning everything about what she knows about her father's guilt and his fifteen year imprisonment. This story grabbed me and didn't let go! I was in the dark about who done it until the very end of the book. The mystery and suspense was nail-biting and had me on the edge of my seat holding my breath! It was a thrilling ride! This mystery is well executed and very well written. I've had this book on my shelf for a few years now, but never felt the need to read it. I told myself that this year I would get some of my older books read, and I am so glad I did!

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Thursday, January 19, 2017

Review: Feel Again

Feel Again Feel Again by Faith Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Feel Again by Faith Andrews is the first book in the Fate series. Gabriella has lost her parents and her husband. Trying to get away from the awful memories, she leaves New York to start a new life. She meets Caleb and there's an instant attraction. Feel Again isn't my usual genre, but I have to say that this story had me intrigued. I became more and more curious as Gabriella and Caleb entered a new stage in their lives. This book has some detailed sex scenes that I didn't care for, but would be perfect for anyone looking for a complicated romance story. Faith brings the characters to life and her writing is smooth. I won this book in a giveaway and all opinions are my own.

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Friday, January 13, 2017

Review: City of Saints & Thieves

City of Saints & Thieves City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson is a story about a young girl known as Tiny Girl. Being a refugee from Congo, she learns to live on the streets, and joins a gang known as the Goondas. She's determined to make her mother's killer pay, and attempts to ruin the man she feels is responsible. While trying to find 100% proof of who the killer is, she allows two people she considers to be friends to help. I was pulled into this story from the beginning. It is full of mystery and suspense, and there are a lot of emotions that I felt while reading this story. Natalie's writing style is smooth and seamless. Her character building is superb. These characters are real to life, and you feel for some while disliking others. The descriptions used in the world of Tiny Girl made me feel as though I were right there with her. I could envision the landscapes and the atmosphere throughout the entire story. I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC from G.P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Sunday, January 8, 2017

Review: I See You

I See You I See You by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I See You by Clare Mackintosh is a story about a woman, Zoe Walker, who sees her picture in an ad in a London newspaper which starts a chain of events both mysterious and dangerous. This book started really slow, but the more I read the more intriguing it became. The characters are fairly developed and the story is written well. The ending was unexpected, which was exciting, but left me wondering if there will be another book about Zoe Walker. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Saturday, December 31, 2016



Wildgoose Reading Challenge 2017 Hosted by The Bookshelf Gargoyle
                                                       






I'm going to attempt a reading challenge hosted by The Bookshelf Gargoyle. Here's the 411:









Rules:


1. The Challenge will run from January 1st to December 31, 2017.
2. Challengees must read at least one book from each category (listed below).  Challengees must read a DIFFERENT book for each category – even if your book title might fit a number of categories, it will only count towards a single category.  Challengees are free to choose which category best suits.
3. Books selected can be from any genre and aimed at any age group.  Picture books, anthologies, nonfiction, graphic novels and audiobooks are all okay to include.
4. The categories listed are a loose guide and creative interpretation of the categories is not only encouraged, but applauded.
5. Challengees should link their reviews/progress under the relevant linky lists on this page.  If you don’t have a blog, you could link to your Goodreads shelf/reviews, or simply comment on this page as you go.
6. Feel free to display the challenge button (html for which is in the sidebar) and share about the challenge wherever you like!



Categories:
1. A book with a word of phrase relating to wildness in the title – any interpretation of the word “wild” is acceptable (eg: The Call of the Wild, Angry Aztecs, Crazy for You; An Untamed State)
2. A book with a species of bird (or the word “bird”) in the title: (egThe Adventures of Robin Hood, The Thorn Birds, Turkey: A Modern History)
3. A book with an exotic or far-flung location in the title – fantasy and mythical locations are acceptable (egParadise Lost, The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, Atlantis Rising)
4.  A book with an object you might hunt for in the title (egTreasure Island, One for the Money, The History of Love, Dreams from my Father, A Monster Calls, All the Answers)
5. A book with a synonym for chase in the title (or its derivatives: chasing, chased, etc) (eg: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Follow the River, Man’s Search for Meaning, The Night Stalker)
6.  A book with a means of transport in the title (eg: If I Built a CarWalk Two Moons, The Girl on the Train)
7.  A book with an object you might take on a search or hunt in the title (eg: The Golden Compass, The Map to Everywhere, Water for Elephants, Team of Rivals )


Click below to add or view links:


http://www.inlinkz.com/new/view.php?id=678498


Looking for individual category link-ups? You can find them here: 


https://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress.com/wild-goose-chase-reading-challenge-2017-sign-up-page/wild-goose-chase-reading-challenge-category-link-ups/

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Review: The Devil's Prayer

The Devil's Prayer The Devil's Prayer by Luke Gracias
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Devil's Prayer by Luke Gracias is a story about a nun who commits suicide. Siobhan Russo recognizes the nun as her long lost mother, and prepares for a journey to find answers about her mother's death. I'm conflicted in my review of this book. On one hand, the characters are believable, but on the other hand, this reads more like a research paper than a novel. There are far too many places and dates that I ended up getting lost in the details. Nothing ever got resolved, so I'm guessing there is another book to be written? If not, this book could use some serious revamping. I was highly disappointed. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Review: Where It Hurts

Where It Hurts Where It Hurts by Reed Farrel Coleman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where It Hurts by Reed Farrel Coleman is a story about Gus Murphy, a retired cop who was on top of the world until tragedy struck. He's then approached by an ex-con seeking his help in the death of his son. This is not my usual genre, but I have to say that this was an excellent read. It was full of emotions, action, and a bit of romance. The characters were real in their actions and dialogue, which thoroughly engaged me. It had twists and turns that kept me intrigued. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Friday, November 25, 2016

Review: Ennara and the Book of Shadows

Ennara and the Book of Shadows Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron/Angela Shelley is the first book in the Ennara series. I was severely disappointed by the grammatical errors in this book. The story had promise and the characters were well fleshed out, but I just couldn't enjoy the story for all the errors. With some editing, this book could easily be a four star rating. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Thursday, November 10, 2016

Review: The Case of the Disastrous Dragon

The Case of the Disastrous Dragon The Case of the Disastrous Dragon by Mark H. Newhouse
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Case of the Disastrous Dragon by Mark H. Newhouse is the sequel to Welcome to Monstrovia!, which I did not read, but you can read these books as stand-alones. It's a story about Brodie Adkins and his uncle Jasper Doofinch. Jasper is a lawyer, and with the help of his nephew Brodie they take on cases to help the residents of Monstrovia. This story didn't grab my attention as well as I had hoped. I usually love middle school stories, but this one just missed the mark for me. It was whimsical and very imaginative, but the dialogue lacked when it came to convincing me of the characters' conversations. Though this story fell short for me, I think children that are inspiring to become lawyers will appreciate this story. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Friday, November 4, 2016

Review: Emissary

Emissary Emissary by Thomas Locke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Emissary by Thomas Locke is the first book of Legends of the Realm. It is about a young man named Hyam who is on a quest to find out who he is. I'm not sure how I feel about this story. The premise sounded good until I started reading the book. It wasn't my usual fantasy story in that it felt a little lackluster to me. There wasn't the usual action, which gave me pause. It felt more like a love story with a bit of fantasy thrown in. Over all, this book was well written. I won this book in a giveaway, though I'm not sure where I won it from. Anyhow, all opinions are my own.

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Thursday, November 3, 2016

Review: Portrait of Rage

Portrait of Rage Portrait of Rage by Cynthia H. Wise
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Portrait of Rage by Cynthia H. Wise is the first book in The Marcel Experience. It is about a painter, Thomas Shear, who moves into a new house. He then begins to paint portraits of murdered little girls, which is just the tip of the iceberg in this story. It was full of mystery and suspense that I just couldn't stop reading. My only problem with this story is the ending. I felt the ending just didn't go with the story. It must be introduced in the second installment, which I haven't read. If not for the ending, I would have given this book a five star rating. I won this book in a blog giveaway, and all pinions are my own.

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Review: Pennies from Burger Heaven

Pennies from Burger Heaven Pennies from Burger Heaven by Marcy McKay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pennies from Burger Heaven by Marcy McKay is the first book in the Burger Heaven Series. It's about eleven year old Copper Daniels. She and her mother are homeless, but she feels life is good until her mom comes up missing. This book was so well written, and Copper is such an alive character that I just couldn't put this book down. It is so full of mystery and intrigue that it is one book not to be missed. I won this book in a book giveaway, and all opinions are my own.

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Review: The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses

The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith is an interesting story about five teenage boys that have mysteriously developed extremely heightened senses. Upon realizing they have these abilities, they become, more or less, vigilantes for the neighboring town of Sandry Lake. This story is full of mystery and adventure, with a bit of paranormal. I was intrigued by the premise of this story. It definitely held my interest from beginning to end. I won this book in a blog giveaway, and all opinions are my own.

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Review: A Whisper of Death

A Whisper of Death A Whisper of Death by Paul Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Whisper of Death by Paul Barrett is the first book in The Necromancer Saga. It is about Erick Darvaul, a Necromancer, who is on a quest to find the original sorcerers to help destroy the dark ones. I liked this story a lot. It was engaging, exciting, and has me wanting more of Erick's story. I won this book in a giveaway from a blog I follow. All opinions are my own.

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Friday, October 21, 2016

Review: Outpost

Outpost Outpost by F.T. McKinstry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Outpost by F.T. McKinstry is a fantasy novel about immortal warlords called the Fylking, and a warlock using Fylking magic to create an army to destroy the world. This is your typical good against evil fantasy. but the world building and character development is anything but typical. F.T. McKinstry's writing style is superb. For a self published novel, this is an excellent fantasy story. I won the Outpost in a blog giveaway, and all opinions are my own.

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