Sunday, February 17, 2019

Review: Ever the Brave by Erin Summerhill

Erin Summerhill
Narrator: Helen Johns
Published On: 12/5/17
Page Count: 464
Audio Length: 12hr 39min
Rating: 4/5


Spoilers Ahead
Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):
Ever the Divided. Ever the Feared. Ever the Brave.
After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only
wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home.
Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever,
no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady.

Its been quite awhile since I read book one (Ever the Hunted). This one picks up right
where it left off though which was nice. I truly enjoyed how much of King Aodren`s perspective
we got. He was made out to be kind of a bad guy in book one so to get more of his side and story
in this novel made everything he was doing not seem as bad. He is a very vulnerable person and as
times it felt like Britta wasn't seeing it that way.

Although I do enjoy Cohen it was really hard not to ship Aodren and Britta together. Cohen
just sort of became this whiny errand boy who doted on Britta`s every word. Some parts of the
book seem to just be “busy work” in order to progress the storyline. Although that isn't a bad
thing there did seem to be a bit much in some areas.
I do look forward to picking up Once a King in the near future. Michaela has already read
it and enjoyed it.

TTFN,

Ashley

Friday, February 15, 2019

Review: Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Title: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Published On: October 2, 2018
Page Count: 450pgs
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):
A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty,
Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the
marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical
school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of
the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

Loved this installment of the Montague siblings, especially because Felicity was
my favorite in Monty's story. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy is Felicity's
story after Monty's failed tour, and man was it good. Met some new faces, and some
old ones and a big fluffy dog with a massive pink bow.
Felicity is dead set on getting into medical school, without the help of a man,
and in doing so she ends up crashing with Percy and Monty after leaving
Edinburgh before she is on her way with a new friend to Germany. In
Germany she then catches up with an old friend of hers, while trying
to meet and talk to the doctor she idolizes, who is engaged to marry
her former best friend. After getting up to some Henry Montague like
activities, Felicity finds that the Dr. she idolizes should not be
considered and idol at all, and ends up on the road with Johanna and
Sim to figure out the research that Johanna’s mother had been doing.
They all find out that things they had believed to be legends, were
quite a reality, and that baby dragons can be very friendly.
I hope this is not the last we see of Felicity, Monty, and Percy, and
some of their new friends and foes.
Till the next read,

Mackenzie

Friday, February 8, 2019

Review: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess

Title: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling
Author: Jessica Cluess
Narrator: Fiona Hardingham
Published On: October 16, 2018
Page Count: 416pgs
Audio Length: 11h 49m
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

Spoilers Ahead

After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to
Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter–and the
ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients.

I read A Sorrow Fierce and Falling in audiobook form, while I physically read the first two.
I LOVED the narrator, only to find out that she’s narrated other books that I have heard
snippets of and thought I liked the narrator.

The book itself however fell a little short next to its predecessors for me. I enjoyed it,
but there were somethings that left me a little miffed, such as how
Blackwood and Henrietta’s relationship has evolved into what it is, as well
as the relationship between Magnus and Blackwood. In listening it felt like
parts of the book were rushed and that it may have been better had there been
a few other details added in. I do like how we get to learn more about Maria, and
where she learned how all the herbal medicines. There are a few characters from
previous encounters that make appearances again, which was nice to see how
they help Henrietta in the battle against her father. Henrietta also learns a lot more
about her father and how he ended up the way he did.
Overall A Sorrow Fierce and Falling was a good read but it was not my favorite of
the three books.

Till the next read,
Mackenzie

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Review: Contagion by Erin Bowman

Title:Contagion
Author: Erin Bowman
Published On: July 24 ,2018
Page Count:432
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):
After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton
crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission. But when t
he crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded
weapons…and dead bodies.

I read a lot of Si-Fi this past year and I’ve really enjoyed them. Couldn’t have ended
my reading year off with a better book. The ending already has me wanting more of
these characters. Thea, a high school intern and who doesn’t think she should be going.
Nova, a military trained pilot who wasn’t accepted due to an eyesight problem. Dylan,
a badass commander who’s father pulled strings to get her this position. A renowned
scientist with a secret. Along with a Tech and Mechanic, set out on this rescue mission
with little intel on what they are getting themselves into. Everything they plan practically
goes south and it becomes a think on your feet situation.
Nova and Dylan realize they aren’t so different from each other, our scientists secret is
revealed, Thea discovers more about herself and the young man she finds herself with.
I really liked how both our lone survivor and young intern has similar backstories.
I look forward to what comes next.

Happy Reading,

Michaela

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Review: Give the Dark my Love by Beth Revis

Beth Revis
Published On: 9/25/18
Page Count: 368
Rating: 4.5/5
Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):
When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural,
northern territories of
Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind:
learn the trade of medicinal alchemy.

I have adored Beth Revis`s writing for quite a few years and this novel has outdone itself.
I cannot wait to read book 2 when it comes out this year. Neocromancy has always seem to be
this taboo subject. By taboo I mean that when it comes up in YA Novels it tends to always been
this negative idea and cannot be practiced by the hero. Reign the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh
seems to have paved an opening for YA novel heros to start doing some dark magic in order to
save the story.
Give the Dark my Love paints an incredible story about passion and deception. Set when a
plague is ravaging the northern country while those in the south live on in riches and ease. Tables
turn though when people of wealth are coming down with symptoms of the “unwashed” peoples
disease.
A book lovers daughter with a passion for helping others is the only person who can find the
cure. Can Nedra save those she loves or will she run out of time?

TTFN,

Ashley