Book Review: Christmas Ever After

Title: Christmas Ever After

Author: Sarah Morgan

Reviewer: Aly

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Blurb:

Passionate artist Skylar Tempest should be on top of the world: she’s just landed her first private viewing in a gallery in London, it’s almost Christmas, and her Senator ‘manfriend’ has just proposed. But in a single moment of violence, Skylar’s entire world shifts. The fact that Alec Hunter, famed TV historian and utter cynic, is the only one around to help her, only makes things worse. Unsure of herself, her relationship and her choices, Skylar retreats home to Puffin Island, Maine.

Ready to snuggle up and face the winter nights alone in reflection – along with some cookies and wine – Skylar is shocked to find Alec is also spending the winter on Puffin Island. As they are constantly thrown together, Skylar is surprised to find her dislike of Alec is turning into an intense and irresistible attraction. Both bearing scars from previous relationships, can these two learn to trust one another in time for a Christmas miracle?

Review:

I do have to say that this was an enjoyable holiday read. The plot moved along at a good pace, with never a dull moment and honestly the characters were unpredictable most times. I never tried to guess what the characters were going to do next because I was invariably wrong. But that made things all the more interesting. I liked the fact that you couldn’t guess what was going to happen next or what the characters were going to do. It kept the reader intrigued and reading.

There was also some pretty good word choice. The descriptive words were good, and conveyed what the author wished them to without going into too much detail. It’s good that she shook up the word choice.

Skylar certainly was down on her luck and Alec shockingly stepped in. I didn’t necessarily think he was a jerk but Skylar and he didn’t seem to get along and so I thought he would have gotten her to her hotel and that would be the end of things. But of course it wasn’t. Alec certainly acted the gentlemen. Where can I get one of him? Not to mention both Skylar and Alec have been burned before and that becomes a huge problem in the novel. There were so many secondary characters as well, that weren’t just 2D but had life, and while they didn’t take away from the main characters, they did have personality.

As the holidays approach, it’s always nice to enjoy a little holiday romance, and Sarah Morgan did not disappoint. I really enjoyed reading her novel. It certainly helps with the holiday spirit.

Rating:

Book Review: Beautiful Curse

Title: Beautiful Curse

Author: Jen McConnel

Reviewer: Aly

Genre: YA Romance

Book Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Mya Jones is cursed.

She is, hands down, the most beautiful creature on earth. But beauty can wound, and Mya finds herself reviled and shunned by her peers. If there is even a chance that she could start over, Mya longs to take it, no matter the risks.

So when the strange Mr. Merk offers her a new life away from home, Mya is hesitant but hopeful. Only she didn't count on the mysterious Ross, or her feelings for him.

BEAUTIFUL CURSE is a contemporary retelling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid.

Review:

Before reading Beautiful Curse, I was already interested in Greek Mythology, and so when I was given the opportunity to read and review Beautiful Curse, I quickly jumped on it! Although I did do a quick review of the myth of Cupid and Psyche because all of the details weren’t coming back to me as I thought they had. It wasn’t necessary to do so but I remembered the myth and wanted to make sure that I wasn’t confusing things if I happened to get lost. Which at no point did I. In fact I really didn’t need to do a quick catch up on the myth as the story was pretty much retold in Beautiful Curse. It was interesting seeing the tale retold in a bit more modern sense, especially seeing the reactions of the main characters. I loved how the author showed the emotions of the characters through their thoughts, although we are only given Mya’s perspective. I would have liked to see some of the story from Ross/Cupid’s point of view. It would have added something more to the book.

The writing itself was interesting and the plot as mentioned already was intriguing especially to someone who might have already had a knowledge of the myth of Cupid and Psyche although don’t let that stop you if you don’t know the myth. Even if I hadn’t known the myth, Beautiful Curse still would be an interesting story. 

I really enjoyed the take that the author had on the story, and the different ways she incorporated the Greek gods and the tasks assigned to Mya as well as the new characters that were introduced. It was different from the ancient myth and I think modernizes the myth for those who might not be interested in Greek mythology. 

I enjoyed taking the time to read Beautiful Curse and recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Rating:

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About the Author

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.  When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.  Her fiction titles include DAUGHTER OF CHAOS (YA), THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY (NA), and the recently released sequel, HER SECRET INHERITANCE. Visit http://www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.

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Book Review: Corsets and Clockwork

Title: Corsets and Clockwork

Author: Multiple Authors

Genre: YA Romance/Steampunk

Book Blurb:

Dark, urban fantasies come to life in the newest collection of Steampunk stories, Corsets & Clockwork. Young heroes and heroines battle evils with the help of supernatural or super-technological powers, each individual story perfectly balancing historical and fantastical elements. Throw in epic romances that transcend time, and this trendy, engrossing anthology is sure to become another hit for the fast-growing Steampunk genre!

Review:

Wow, it's been a while since I've actually finished a book! Anyways, Corsets and Clockwork (C&C) was a delightful collection of steampunk tales with a romantic twist. I actually started this anthology several months ago, but lost interest about 25% into the collection . . . I guess that's the danger of short story collections, no? You lose interest with one story and then rather get distracted by other books (*cough Game of Thrones cough*) and it may be a couple days or weeks (or months!) before you return to the book.

Either way, I was glad I decided to pick up C&C after my brief dip of interest because there definitely were some hidden gems.  Some of the stories that I really enjoyed are:

"Wild Magic"

"The Airship Gemini"

"Under Amber Skies"

But my top two favorites were definitely "The Clockwork Corset" and "Tick, Tick, Boom."

First of all, you know I'm sucker for strong FMC who have the tendency to get in trouble, which is exactly what Imogen offered in "The Clockwork Corset". In a way, this story reminded me of a steampunk retelling of "Mulan" if you replaced Mulan's father with a certain love interest of Imogen.  Also, the fact that Imogen had common sense (oh my goodness you will not believe how little common sense some FMCs . . . or even MMCs . . . can have in steampunk/Victorian era stories) really upped my approval factor.  And also, the bitter sweet ending was quite satisfying--just the right combination of tragedy, love, and a little mechanical engineering magic.

Perhaps the plot (or should I say "character"?) twist in "Tick, Tick, Boom" was its highlight. Just when I thought I had all the characters figured out BAM a secondary character I thought to be shallow (spoiler alert!) turns out to be another secondary character I thought was pretty awesome. (So yes, there was a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on.)  Also, a protagonist who is a kick ass engineer and also happens to plotting against the demise of her father's business empire? Sign me up!

Granted, as there were the highs of C&C, there were also the lows. I know I could've skipped over the less than engaging stories, but then I wouldn't have the satisfaction of saying "I read this whole book!" (I know, I know. Shallow of me, but it's the little things in life, no?)  I can definitely think of one story that just seemed to drag on forever.  BUT, in the end, I'm glad that I read C&C.  It's hard to infuse the same amount of depth in a short story compared to a novel, and so I thought the authors did an excellent job overall with creating relatable characters. (Though it would've been fun to read some stories from a MMC's POV, as each story had a FMC!)

Cheers and happy readings!

Rating:

Book Review: Brand New Sky

Title: Brand New Sky

Author: Heidi Hutchinson

Genre: NA Romance

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

When the dark clouds gather, find a patch of blue sky.

And chase it into tomorrow.

Sway Schaeffer had always known music was going to be a part of his life. It wasn't until he picked up an electric bass in high school that he thought he might actually have fun with it. Raised by classical musicians with the expectation to follow in their footsteps, Sway had gotten used to not caring what other people thought of his choices. 

He had made it a habit early on in his career to find the bright side to every situation, even when others—including his fellow bandmates—disagreed with his methods. Or misinterpreted them entirely. 

Ryan Zacherson is a moderately successful romance writer. She enjoys her quiet life and does not enjoy surprises. She's tense, suspicious, and completely thrown off by the rock star that has happened to move in next door. She's not looking for an adventure. Or a fling. Or anything really.

But she keeps finding herself drawn further and further into the whirlwind that is Sway's life.

For the first time ever, she feels like she can be herself... and be loved for it.

When life interrupts, and reality checks back in, will what they have built together be solid enough to survive the hurricane that is part of the Double Blind Study world? Or will they be torn apart by simple doubt, drama, and pride?

Review:

So, this book…..alright, I’m gonna admit it, there might have been tears shed….like literally tears pouring down my face as I started this book because this is it...the end….no more Double Blind Study. And that literally hurts my heart. It’s been a tough journey and I’ve loved every moment of it. I wasn’t going to mention it here but I think it really belongs here. But the ending….I think that just completed the series on a note that readers can be happy with and that was a beautiful way to finish the series. So, yes….I swear I’m going to try and stay away from the ellipses now guys.

The first scene in the Double Blind Study books start at the same spot but with different perspectives. And I have to say that this was one of the two perspectives I was really looking forward to. And I wasn’t disappointed. Heidi Hutchinson really gave me a new perspective on Sway and what was going on at that point. And I think she handled it in a really great way.

Brand New Sky had a lot of craziness going on plot wise but it also had moments that were beautiful and bittersweet with the Double Blind Study guys and gals. And again, tears may have appeared. But the way it was written just kept reminding me that this is kind of the end before they maybe not go their own way but start being a little more separate than they have been before. And that kind of hurt deep down. But at the same time, it was so so so beautiful to see their family interact and accept Ryan as one of their own.

Speaking of Ryan, she’s certainly an intriguing character who I can honestly say is different from any other character I can recall. And I liked her. As well as Miles.

Heidi Hutchinson does a good job at creating her characters, writing their stories and giving enough flavor to keep the readers interested but also have moments like those with the Double Blind Study group hanging out, being a family.

So, that’s it. If you haven’t read the Double Blind Study series and don’t like reading series’ that aren’t complete, then you should now give the guys of Double Blind Study a chance!

Rating:

Book Review: Fallen

Title: Fallen

Author: Emily Clarke

Genre: YA Paranormal

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb: 

Julie Anderson never wanted to leave her life and friends behind in Connecticut, but when her father gets a new job in Texas she discovers her destiny. When she meets the devilishly fallen angel, Nick Landers, her life begins to unravel. Nick is different from the other boys and seems to have a crush on her. Julie soon learns that Nick has taken an oath never to fall in love with an earthly woman. Despite Nick's unhealthy obsession with her, Julie finds herself falling for him. When Julie's mother is killed in a car wreck, Julie realizes her own life is at risk and only fate will decide whether Nick kills or protects her. Fallen is a work of fiction but it contains relevant and controversial issues facing teenagers and young adults today.

Alright, I’m going to start off by saying the premise of this book was great but I just didn’t enjoy this book.

Review:

The writing style was very abrupt and dialogue based. Which was interesting but could also make figuring out who was speaking a bit difficult at times. It didn’t appeal to me as a reader but it might be your style. There were some grammar errors but what human is perfect?

Fallen did give a good look at all the different perspectives during a teenager’s years. The parents and Julie were each given some time to allow their differing opinions to shine through and the reasoning behind those as well. Not to mention there were some from Nick’s point of view and Tyler’s that allows for a more complete picture of what is going on.

This book did give me some shivers. Nick was a creepy character after some things came to life and it seems as if Tyler might follow the same road if things aren’t fixed somehow. There were some confusing moments but it does get explained at least a little.

If you’re not a fan of cliffhangers, I warn you that you might want to wait for more books to come out in this series. The ending was came up quite quickly and with little warning.

Emily Clarke does deal with some sensitive issues that affect teens and she handled them well. It wasn’t sensationalised and was handled very well.

Fallen was alright, but I found that it just wasn’t the type of book I can gush about or maybe I just read it at the wrong time. It was a good book and if it sounds like something you might enjoy then I think you should give it a chance.

Rating:

Book Review: Independent Study

Title: Independent Study

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Genre: YA dystopian

Book Blurb:

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her

Review:

Whew! My feelings regarding this book is quite mixed. But this I can say for sure: I enjoyed Independent Study more than The Testing. Okay....just give me a minute to organize my thoughts....