Winter's Warrior: Mark of the Monarch Review

Flanked by darkness
Ensnared by enemies
Divided by deception

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The evil that is Dr. Kenneth Williams is undisputed. The Winter family has been relentlessly hunted and tormented by the original creator of the Infinite Serum. They have aligned themselves against his wicked ways and fought to right the wrongs of that monstrous scientist. All this time, they thought their battle was just against him and his metahumans. A swift and brutal attack on their peaceful ranch home introduces them to an entirely different and far more malicious enemy. Someone who has been there all along, in the background, powerful, brilliant and exceptionally more dangerous than Williams ever was. With a chiseled face and handsome physique, I must introduce...

My take:

5 stars

Recommend to others:  Yes

14 and under:  Yes

Language/Content:  None, mild violence

No, no, no, no, no!!! Ugh! I SO wanted this book to be the last one! Now let me explain:

That wasn't said because the book wasn't good. I have LOVED this series. I just don't know that I can handle anymore heartache for this family!! And the ending? I so didn't see that coming, what a shocker! Danny has been a very pleasant surprise...but Meg!!! My heart is screaming for that child!  And her poor Maze, wow, what that poor animal endures for her is amazing.  I was bawling at this point in the book.   Margo, that mom has had to go through so much to protect her family, but what a strong amazing woman she is!  I love the closeness of this family and the fact that they aren't "blood related" but that they are all a strong, united family.  Even Farrow is willing to join the ranks and tells Margo and Alik that she's family and willing to die for each and every one of them.  That's really what family is all about.

I really don't know what else I can say in this review without giving anything away about the book. There's a lot of good vs. evil in this one, more so than the others.  You get to find out a lot more of the back story, which is more helpful.  What I can say is read this series, it's SO worth it! It only took me so long to read it because I read it during the holidays. Once I got time, I couldn't put it down. Great job, Karen! Now March...hurry up and get here!

Up next?

 

Damselfly Review

She used to be known as the Blithe Baby. Now she’s something more, and that’s not a good thing.

Seeing the world through new eyes, Sophia Blithe has found love, found hope, and found a life that she never new she would have with Declan Sterling, a Sidhe boy with indigo eyes and magic in his touch. But, she should know by now that life never plays out how you want it to.

When the new world she knows, and the old world she remembers begins to crumble around her, Sophia will lose almost everything that’s ever mattered to her, and will be forced to make a decision that will forever change the course of not just her life, but also the lives of those she loves the most.

 

My take?

 

5 Stars!

 

Appropriate for 14 and under: yes

Language and content: none

 

Whoa! What an emotional rollercoaster ride this was! And did I expect anything less? Nope! Ms. Naeole leaves no emotion untouched, expect the unexpected everytime. And I cannot believe the cliffhanger at the end of this book! I can't wait for the next book to come out, it's literally going to kill me to wait for this, haha.

I love that Sophia's character gets to grow into herself into this book. No longer is she as unconfident as she was in the first one and she doesn't even let Dex (current bf) or anyone else walk all over her or tell her what she wants. She's still in for a lot of heartbreak, and this part kills me. I have a somewhat similar background to her and so reading her story reopened a few scars for me, maybe that's why I've loved her story so much.

Anyway, her whole family dynamics is messed up, but I really love how things work on in this area. I'd love to see "Dad" get more and I hope maybe there's more on that area, lol, I think he got off to easy. The EX is where he needs to be, the sibs are out of harms way, for the most part and Sophia is ready to take on her destiny, how painful and lonely as that may be. This is the part where I'm hoping things in the storyline change. I love where the man/boy is willing to go to all lengths to fight and change things and it's the girl that is trying to go with destiny, unwilling to risk all for love...yet (I hope there's a yet). It will be interesting to see where Ms. Naeole takes things on this one and the happy ending she gives to all included. Don't get me wrong, I know the struggles she gonna give are gonna be amazing, but in the end it will all be worth it!! :)

 

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Blood Bond Review

Hybrids.

If I had to choose one word to sum up all of my problems, this would be it.
Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to watch my best friend slowly becoming a monster. Without hybrids, I could let go of the mentality “hunt or be hunted.” CHAS wouldn’t be scouring the Earth, intent on slaughtering and using Alex to do it. Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to be on guard that losing my temper meant losing my shape. There would be no monster inside me, struggling to get out.

Then again, without hybrids, I wouldn’t have Wesley St. John.

 

My take:

 

5 VERY big, on the edge of my seat, loving it stars!

 

Recommend to others:  Yes!

14 and under: Yes

Language/Content: mild violence

 

I couldn't wait for this book to come out!  I loved the first 2 in the series and was hoping this one would be just as good and I wasn't disappointed.

 

Tara has grown into herself and she's more self assured and she's finally showing signs that she's happy with life.  Things are becoming more balanced for her, even though there's so much going on threatening the lives of her family, friends and herself.  With Miles dead, she is ready to look into things that he's said to her to save George's life, ready to move on and see where Vera's visions will take her, but also ready to decide where she wants to be in her life and not just let destiny guide her.

 

Alex is still there in the background and things are friendly between them.  Things with George are hanging in the balance with his human body fighting the change into a werewolf, and Tara is willing to risk her life for him to find his cure.  The best thing of all is that Wes, her werewolf boyfriend, is finally ready and willing to trust her and to back her up.  I love the way their relationship grows in this book and the way Wes himself grows and how he treats her.  Gone is the jealous boy (mostly) and here is the supportive partner that she needs.  Now find out how and if Tara can save George, the humans in her life, her werewolf family, and her hunter family and not lose herself in the process as she fights the "war" with they hybrids and CHAS.  You won't be disappointed, it's a very quick, enjoyable read for all paranormal lovers.  :)

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Starbright Review

Stella is a Star, sent by a Council of Elders to live on Earth and protect the planet from the Darkness, a terrifying evil that would suck the good from every living thing and leave the planet empty and desolate. She has until her twenty-fifth birthday before the Protectorship becomes hers and Earth is left solely her responsibility.

Stella’s fate goes on fast forward as she struggles to balance the rest of high school with the duties of protecting humanity from the deadliest kind of evil.

With her parents and Seth, the boy intended to be her Counterpart, by her side she faces down demons and fallen angels in an effort to protect the last inhabited planet in the universe.

But evil is not her only enemy. She also fights her future as she tries to decide if she’s willing to give up her human relationships, especially that of her best friend Tristan, in order to save humanity.

 

My Take?

5 Amazing Stars!!!

 

Would I recommend this to others: Yes, yes, yes!!

Appropriate for 14 and under:  Yes

Language and content:  Very mild language, no sexual content

 

This book was absolutely amazing! I have never read anything like it before. The storyline was new, with the exception of the love triangle (and I always love a good love triangle). I knew I was in for amazingness when I picked up this book the second it was released on Amazon. I have loved everything Rachel has written.

I honestly don't know what I can say about this book without giving anything away about the book, and I don't want to give anything away. The excerpt pretty much covers it, but let's see what I can say without doing into too much detail.

I love the relationship with Tristan and Stella, I can relate being my best friend in high school was a boy as well.  And then introduce Seth, Stella's sexy, gorgeous, perfect counterpart and things get rocky because she's supposed to be "married" to him in 7 years.  Then starts the "pissing matches", so to speak.  This is the part I always love, and personally, I'm routing for Seth. Not only because he's who she's supposed to be with, but mainly because of his back story, which you'll learn when you read it. Both boys are fine specimens, so you'll enjoy ogling over them both.

Now this whole time, Stella and Seth are training and fighting to save the world from the Shadows and the Fallen. The action scenes are pretty intense and I loved every minute of them...kept me on the edge of my seat. I really cannot wait until November for Starburst!! I'm seriously loving this series as much as I did her first!! :)

 

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Long Night Moon Review

Something is killing innocent people around Rylie Gresham's town. The police think it's a wild animal, but she has other suspicions. There are new kids at school, and they have a lot in common with her: gold eyes, super strength, and a habit of turning furry. It seems Rylie's not the only werewolf around anymore.

It's up to Rylie and her werewolf-hunting boyfriend, Seth, to stop the killings. But saving lives doesn't come naturally to a monster, and territory battles could risk the life of her sickly aunt--not to mention her own. Rylie has no choice but to stand her ground, protect her home, and stop the murderers before anyone else gets hurt.

My take?

4 stars

Would I recommend this to other people?  yes, after reading the first 2 okay books

Is it appropriate for 14 and under?  no

Language and content:  no language, mild sexual content and violence

 

I liked this book a LOT more than the previous 2 books.  There's a few more characters added to the mix and you find out what happens to Abel after being bitten by Rylie in the last book.  There's also murders being committed in town, and the twists and turns you go through on this are amazing.  Rylie's aunt is getting sicker and Rylie is struggling to deal with this.  As always Rylie is fighting to deal with the wolf and just being a teenager, her relationship with Seth advances, but things get a little deep with Abel as well.  This book was face paced and kept me glued to it until I finished it.

 

Currently Reading?

 



Revolution Review



In the fourth and final installment, everything is on the line. Merrick's life is in the balance and Lily is their only hope. Ellie and her new powers are miraculous, but also problematic; if she's with the bunker family, they won't be able to sense when the Lighters are there. There are many new members to the bunker and sparks will fly, and with the food shortage, they will all have plenty to deal with. Miguel is intrigued with Rylee, her past and her spunk. Ryan and Elli are barely scratching the surface of their relationship. Cain and Lillian will have to deal with Daniel, who has no qualms about showing his true feelings for her. And Sherry and Merrick…what will happen to this happenstance family who have worked so hard to come together? Can they all survive? Can they all withstand the new enemy that is right outside their door? Can they beat the Lighters, once and for all.

 

My take?

 

5 HUGE stars!!

Would I recommend this to other people:  Absoulutely!!

Is it appropriate for 14 and under:  Maybe

Language and content:  No language, mild content and violence

 

This is the last book in a series of 4 books of the Collide series by Shelly Crane.  The book starts out where the last on left off, Merrick has been mortally wounded.  The Lighters know where they are and keep attacking, they are running out of food...everything looks like they've lost.  It all comes down to the final battle, everyone is sorting out their feelings for each other, all the Specials are learning and refining their skills.  Will it be enough?

 

This book was amazing.  I laughed and cried through the entire thing, it was an emotional rollercoaster for me.  I wanted to rush to the end to find out what happened, but being that it was the last book, I wanted to savor it and make it last as well.  I have enjoyed watching the relationships grow between the Keepers and the humans, them excepting each other.  This book gives the best closure to everything, I couldn't have done it better if I'd written it myself.

 

I look forward to reading many more books from Shelly and can't wait for more from her.

 

Up next...

 

All Hallow's Moon by S.M. Reine

Rylie survived becoming a werewolf at great cost. She moves to her aunt’s ranch in the hopes she can enroll in a new high school and quietly continue her life... with a few distinct changes. She transforms into a beast every new and full moon and struggles to control her murderous urges.

Without many werewolves left, it’s hard to stay in hiding. A family of hunters -- Eleanor, Abel, and Seth -- recognize the signs and follow Rylie to her new home. They want to stop her before she murders someone, and the only way to do it is with a silver bullet. Seth soon realizes the werewolf is Rylie, the one monster he failed to kill. Worse yet, he’s still in love with her.

Torn between family and love, Rylie struggles to reconcile her feelings and control the wolf within while Seth fights to do what’s right. But what is right-- obeying desire or duty?

 

 

My take?

 

3 Stars

Would I recommend this to other people:  Yes/Maybe

Is it appropriate for 14 and Under:  Maybe

Language and Content:  Language was mild, no sexual content, violence was higher in this book than the last one...but still not very graphic

 

Rylie struggles with controlling the wolf, this is where the violence of the book comes into play.  I think the author could have left some of this out, she did seem to drag this out for chapter and chapters, in my opinion.  I found myself skimming through a lot of this because I was bored of the thoughts of the wolf (they were bloody) and I just wanted the story to move along to the "hinted" portions of the plot.

 

Things with Rylie and Seth are cool to nothing, but he's still there and you get to see him struggle with his feelings for her and his duty to family.  You get more of an understanding of him and this helped me to find more patience for him, and less patience for his mother.  I found that I was more compationate towards his brother and actually rooting for him.

 

All in all the book was a good, quick read.  Mainly because I wanted to know what happened in the end with Seth, Rylie and Seth's mother.  I will continue the series because I like the characters and I'm curious where the ending of this book leaves you and where the next one will take you.

 

Currently Reading...

 

 

Six Moon Summer review



 

I finished this book tonight and I gave it 4 stars.

 

Would I recommend this to other people:  Yes

Is it appropriate for 14 and under:  Yes

Language and content:  Language was mild to none, no sexual content and violence is low

 

The book starts out with Rylie going to camp for the summer and she doesn't want to be there.  She does everything in her power to let everyone know she doesn't want to be there, which is quite entertaining.  She ends up on the wrong end of a werewolf's teeth one night and makes friends with a mysterious boy that wants to help her.  I really enjoyed this book.  I loved that I didn't have the book figured out and that it kept me guessing through the entire book.  I thought I had Seth, her obvious love interest, pegged from the moment she met him, but I was surprised as Rylie was when he dropped the truth on her.  I also liked the authors take on the werewolves transformation, it's one I haven't come across yet.  All in all a good read and I'll continue on with the series and read more from the author soon.

New start...

Okay, so here's my new blog.  I wanted somewhere I could honestly discuss the books I've read, and not just the published authors (who I still love), but my new love of the Indie authors!!  So this is the place I will come, besides Goodreads and Amazon, to pay "tribute" to a great book or complain about a bad book.  So, I'll start off with the book I'm reading now.  I haven't finished it, I'm only 1/2 way through it, so I won't be giving a review, but I'll be putting up the cover and plot.  When I've finished, I'll post my thoughts on here, as well as Amazon and Goodreads, for the author.  Please feel free to comment.  And if I'm feeling "froggy", I may also add some of my own work for your reading "pleasure", I hope.  :)

 

Rylie's been bitten.

She's changing.

And now she has three months to find a cure before becoming a werewolf... forever.

Rylie Gresham hates everything about summer camp: the food, the fresh air, the dumb activities, and the other girls in her cabin. But the worst part is probably being bitten by a werewolf. Being a teenager is hard enough, but now she's craving raw flesh and struggles with uncontrollable anger. If she doesn't figure out a way to stop the transformation, then at the end of summer, her life is worse than over. She'll be a monster.