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:

LEARN MORE

Goodreads | Swoon Romance |

PURCHASE

Amazon | B&N |

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.

Connect With Jen

 | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Blog | Website |

Book Review: The Virginia Kingdom Chronicles

Title: The Virginia Kingdom Chronicles

Author: L L Livesey

Genre: YA/NA Fantasy Drama

Reviewer: Jenny

Book Blurb:

Set in a fascinating world that’s reemerging from a devastating famine caused by genetically modified seeds, The Virginia Kingdom Chronicles, Book 1: The Crown begins in 1992, when a Dutch accountant flees to the United States after stealing millions from a notorious drug cartel. Adopting a new identity, Espen Koning settles down on a remote Virginia farm.

Two hundred years later, nineteen-year-old Lady Elise Koning’s induction as heir to the prime governorship of Virginia is underway. However, her indolence causes her grandmother, the current ruler, to warn Elise that her succession is not set in stone. She could still name her youngest son, Carl, as the heir instead. But unwilling to give up on Elise just yet, she recruits the former adviser to Elise’s deceased father to groom the young woman for her leadership role.

The rules of the game are changing, as Virginia follows the lead of neighboring Carolina in transforming into a sovereign kingdom. Elise is changing as well—to the chagrin of her longtime companion, Decker Regan.

As Elise prepares herself for the rigors of being a strong ruler, will treachery undo her efforts to rise to the occasion?

Review:

The premise of The Virginia Kingdom Chronicles intrigued me,​ with its parallel storyline and court intrigue. I'm biased toward complicated plotting and mechanisms, and enjoy various takes on the futuristic genre, so I had high expectations for this book. The writing also seemed to suit my taste quite well, though there were some inconsistencies. That's probably part of the reason the rating skews a bit low on the scale.

I admit that the timelines confused me, since we start off in 1992 and then switch to 2190 without a clear lead-in. The transitions are in generally marked with the year at the top of each section, with a few exceptions, but the twentieth century section eventually seems like a redundant backstory. Espen Koning's story and Elise Koning's story are interlinked by virtue of a shared last name, but otherwise the tones (nervous escape from a temperamental drug dealer, bildungsroman of a spoiled girl destined to become a great queen) don't match. Setting-wise, the twenty-second century portion is pretty interesting because it demonstrates the retrograde of society, but the references to mutant strains threw me off.

Onto the characters, which form the backbone of the story: As the heir, Elise knows a lot of people, and I started off needing to reread every few pages to get a better sense of the who's who of the colonies. It gets easier after Elise figures out what she really wants (the ability to rule well, not the ability to embarrass the other ladies). The character development is a bit truncated, as both Elise's and Joshua's personality changes are somewhat abrupt. I would've liked to see their romance expand in a more natural and less physical way, especially since their previous relationships were pretty physical. I was somewhat surprised that a monarchial society would accept such conduct, but then again, there was Justin and his consort, and Queen Helena (some of my favorite characters from this story).

The plot picks up in the latter half of the novel, and I found myself rooting for Lady Elise and her warder friend. I liked how Lucy has so much power during the court case, and I liked how the underdog lawyer is able to construct a strong defense for Elise. Usually in court intrigue-type stories, crimes are covered up without any witnesses, and people don't bat an eye, but he makes sure to question everyone's intention. 

There are a lot of things to like about this book. After Elise realizes that she needs to learn from Professor Rhroder, she commits herself wholeheartedly. A bit of her former personality reappears when she tricks Joshua, but she admits her mistake and doesn't hold a grudge. And the ending––I did not expect that at all. There's this whole series of twists, and just when I thought I knew what was happening, I realized I didn't. The real mastermind is shrewd and hides crime easily, though I need Elise to come back and take back the throne. The people are waiting for her, and I'm kind of excited for the showdown.

L.L. Livesey is a promising author, and I'm expecting a lot more from her future books!

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:

Legend, en Espanol

Wahoo! So, I've officially finished reading my first Spanish novel. Personally, I'm just proud I didn't skip any pages--I mean, who cares if a I had a breakdown halfway through? ("It's too hard! I'm never going to finish this!")  

As I might have mentioned in my previous posts, Legend, written by Marie Lu, is one of my all time favorite books (even after . . . 4? 5? years) So it was only natural that I chose Legend to be my first Spanish reading endeavor, yeah? (<-- did="" haha="" i="" p="" see="" there="" what="" you="">

In a nut shell, it took me about two months to complete this novel. The first 25% of the book was very slow going . . . I couldn't do more than 1 chapter at a time (even had to break up chapters to give myself a mental break.) To be honest, I bribed myself with food to finish each chapter ^_^

Luckily, things started to pick up after the first quarter of the novel, mostly, I think, because I was finally getting familiar with the commonly used words (quedar, tirar, gritar). And yes, I did learn new vocabulary! So that's always good!

One thing I found particularly helpful was writing down the English translation of unfamiliar words/phrases directly within the book, as you can see in the picture below.

Trust me, searching up the translation via Google translate actually took more time/effort than I expected. Fortunately, many times the meaning of an unfamiliar word could be deduced from context, which saved me some finger tapping :P  Granted, the fact that I read Legend way too many times for my own good probably helped.

Well, that's all there is for now! Cheers!

The last page!!!