Four musicians vie for a coveted spot on the main stage at the prestigious Olive Branch Music and Arts Festival.
For as long as she can remember, Melly has only been good at one thing: making music. From the instant she got her fingers on a flute and tambourine, music had transformed her life and become a way for her to express the hidden desires of her heart. And like every artist in the realm, joining the illustrious Olive Branch Music and Arts Festival was her ultimate dream.
When Hakim encounters Melly singing in a grubby tavern, his world stops for the briefest of moments. For Hakim, it was as clear as the sky on a sunny day—her voice was what his band, Needlework, had been missing. On a whim, a deal is struck. Soon Melly finds herself whisked away with the band as they join the Olive Branch Festival for what promises to be one wild ride.
***Trigger Warning: Content includes after-effects of sexual assault, as well as depression, grief, and suicidal thoughts/attempts.
Author
Bekah Berge fell in love with all things mystical at a young age. Her love of stories led to her writing her first book in her early twenties, and she’s never looked back since. When not scribbling down fantastical tales, she enjoys traveling, gardening, vegan baking, and brewing the perfect cup of tea.
She also suffers from a rare chronic pain condition called CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) and to learn more visit: CRPSBookshelf.com
Melly is a 17-year-old girl who makes a living singing in taverns or stealing when she has no other choice (There’s just something about books with taverns that I love ?♀️).
One day she meets Hakim, Taran and Nova. Three friends that have a band named “Needlework” and are playing with Olive Branch Festival, where only the best played. They hear Melly sing and decide to get her in the band. So far all nice, just music and group problems.
But Hakim is an idiot. Rather, he has become one. A year ago he suffered an attack in which his leg was broken, not even with magic it was possible to recover it completely, since then he has not healed completely, either physically or emotionally.
All this happened because Hakim is not just another musician, he is a Harran, nephew of the Emperor of Sandaran. Some time ago there was a famine crisis in the other kingdoms, and Sandaran decided not to help. From then on they earned their hatred and now there is a war brewing underneath. Unfortunately, Hakim’s last name drags him and his friends into the middle of the political and power conflict. Now they need to learn how to heal, while trying to survive.
This is one of the best books I’ve read. My only problem is that is a standalone, because I don’t want to let Mel and Hakim go.
I absolutely love music. When I read the synopsis of this book I was attracted, but couldn’t imagine how it would fit the fantasy. Sounded just like a book about a band, but it’s so much more. And the music is still a huge part in it, showing its own magic.
I’ve just read one other book before that had original songs, and I always felt sad that I couldn’t really hear them. But Bekah and her friends made two of the songs “real”, and it’s absolutely perfect.
Also, I love how chronic pain is given a huge role in the book. Both physical and psychological.
Hakim and Mel are broken people. Actually everyone in the story is, at some level. I guess we all are. But here’s a book to remember you that you can go on. You can get through everything. And live.
Inspirational as hell, and unpredictable too. Also, I knew we would get an explanation about the name of the band “Needlework” and I absolutely loved it.
Please, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book.
Bye bye ?
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The royal phoenix is missing from the Tang dynasty palace! Princess Pingyang is worried. Can Rin the unicorn find Fan the phoenix? Together with her friends—dragon, tiger, and tortoise—Rin embarks on a journey to mystical lands in China. Along the way, Rin discovers the value of teamwork and the warmth of friendship.
A Unicorn Named Rin celebrates the wonder and beauty of Chinese history and culture. This exquisitely illustrated picture book makes an ideal read for children 3-8 years old:
Easy-to-read vocabulary enables confidence in early readers
Whimsical illustrations encourage imagination in all unicorn lovers
Storyline fosters dialogue around collaboration, empathy, and kindness
Real locations in China make for an inspiring geography, history and cultural exploration adventure.
Review
This is a different review because, believe it or not, I am not between 3 and 8 years old ?.
It is true that it’s an easy-to-read story, which makes it good for building confidence in children, but it could also be useful for a person who wants to start reading in English. I think it is good advice to start reading children’s books to practice another language.
Returning to the children, this is a nice story of friendship, in which the importance of teamwork is shown. However, what really makes it an amazing book for me, are the locations.
Rin and her friends must search for Fan, the royal phoenix, throughout various locations that stand out for some special reason. At the end of the book, Crystal provides an explanation of each of these places and their true history.
Also, Princess Pingyang seems like a great addition to me. It’s amazing that you can introduce it to your child in this story, so that later he or she knows it was real and becomes even more inspiring. She’s like a new Mulan (in a role model sense, I don’t know much about Chinese history and I don’t pretend to act like I do).
In short, it’s a wonderful Chinese culture bath, delivered in the most subtle, but no less effective way. In addition, the contribution of the illustrations is magical. It is personally what convinced me to read the book.
Author
Crystal Z. Lee is a Taiwanese American bilingual writer. She has called many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco Bay Area. She was formerly a public relations executive who had worked with brands in the fashion, beauty, technology, and automotive industries. “Love and Other Moods” is her first novel.
A Unicorn Named Rin by Crystal Z. Lee Publisher: Balestier Release Date: April 22nd 2021 Genre: Children’s Books, Illustrated, Own Voices Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository | B&N
Bye bye ?
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A secret camp in the woods. A revolution in the making. And a fighter that will change what it means to be human.
Maia is hell-bent on revenge until a tattooed menace literally stands in her way.
Gabe is a legendary fighter with a soft heart that snags on the wounded woman before him.
Together, they discover much more than they bargained for. When the world is ending, someone’s gotta step up and do the saving, and two MMA fighters might just fit the bill.
The Wood Element is being activated, and with it, a war.
Review
“Each moment is a choice. Don’t look any further than that, forward or backward.”
That image basically sums up my opinion of this book ?. Turns out I swore this was the last book in the series and nope…
Maia is broken. Her twin sister’s life was shattered, and with it Maia’s too. Determined to get revenge, she leaves her home and begins to engage in fights to get closer to her target.
“Coffee,” I sigh out, not making eye contact. “Black.” I like the bitter taste. I like to keep things real. Don’t put a Band-Aid on it when you’ll just have to rip the sucker off later. Just give me the scar.
Gabe (his real name) wants to help her not get lost in fights like her other students. And with that he hopes to redeem himself.
In truth, she was never mine to protect. She’s a fighter, and my job isn’t to hold her back. I’ts to have her back, like partners. Even when I can’t be beside her to conquer the enemy with her.
But the attraction between the two is inescapable and, when Raimo appears to explain that he saw Maia teleport in a vision… Their initial intentions are overshadowed by the responsibility of saving the world from aliens ?.
“I’ll follow you, Maia, if only to save you from yourself.”
The Ancestors are water elemental aliens. They decided to adopt the Earth as their home a long time ago, but humans have taken it upon themselves to destroy it. Now the earth has reached its limit and natural disasters are occurring across the planet as the Ancestors prepare to eradicate human beings. Only the 5 elements united can face them, so they are gathering to train in a camp for a war in which they do not have good opportunities.
War had crippled me emotionally, cursing my days and nights into a living nightmare, and I wouldn’t wish the fight on my worst enemy, but I’d be on the frontlines for her.
Maia is everyone’s hope, but her selfishness can doom them.
I love that I was right about the style of this serie, this book is a thousand times better than the first (for me, not that the first was bad) and full fantasy! Mainly it is because the first book introduces you to the story, but in a very subtle way, which does not fit toghether until you read this one. It’s a little like Mistborn’s style, in terms of a new element-based magic system. The 5 elements correspond to Fire, Water, Metal, Wood and Earth, and each one grants different abilities to the person who has it activated.
I loved that Enya (the protagonist of the first book) and Maia are not alike at all. It is interesting to be in the minds of both and that you can tell the difference.
Like the first, the book relies heavily on love and the ability to forgive, including yourself, in order to move forward. But now we see that this acceptance also comes with improvements in your superhuman abilities ?♀️.
I want to tell Maia that this is what broken but alive looks like. It doesn’t heal right—it can’t. You can’t ever make it so that things didn’t happen, no matter what you wish. If you play your cards right, though, you transcend your broken body. You are more than the cracks in the dirt. You go from being alive to being a survivor.
Book 1 was a beautiful love story, but it was only after reading this book that I understood everything. What a way to fit the pieces! By the way, I was sure this was the last book in the series and nope, so I almost died with the end ?.
I highly recommend it, both as fantasy and as a wonderful romance. There are more than one couple and they are all too cute. And also because it is always important to remember the importance of love, especially self-love, even in the middle of an interstellar warfare.
I remember my mom and dad always joking about how they were each other’s first loves. “Twin flames,” they called each other, a connection so intense, it’s like one soul mirror the other.
Bye bye ?
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“It just takes a spark, Enya. You don’t need to be anything more than you.”
When Enya learns she has a terminal disease the summer before college, her dreams to make a difference in the world are cut short. Instead, she joins her best friend Jacob on a cross country road trip to explore his Native American roots. Psychic visions are just the start as Enya embarks on a spiritual journey that will break the world she knows, and open her to more than she could have imagined.
Review
For when there is nothing real in the world except love, it all starts and ends with the heart.
This review was particularly hard for me. I really don’t know how to explain how I feel about this book without spoilers, but I’ll do my best.
I want to clarify immediately that my rating for this book is not a bad one, it just didn’t fit enough my liking style for giving it more, but I do know that it’s an amazing book that a lot of people can love.
This book tells the story about Enya, an 18-year-old girl whose life has just been destroyed. She got tested and got positive for Huntington’s disease. A progressive brain disorder that leads to lost of control, for mind and body. Her father also had it, and his mother before. He actually couldn’t take it anymore and committed suicide a few years ago.
When Enya gets her result, she feels her life is officially over. But on a desperate attempt to get some happiness back, she decides to join Jacob, her best friend, while he travels in a RV trying to get closer to hit Native American roots.
“We can’t choose the cards we’re dealt. We can choose how we react, though, what we make of it.”
This trip not only gives Enya a peace she never expected, but is also the beginning of one of the sweetest friends-to-lovers relationships I’ve read.
“When I look at you, I see all that is good in the world. You help me have faith in humanity.” He turns to me, a sheepish smile bringing youth to his face, “That’d be pretty awesome if you led the world, kiddo. Acupuncture Heart or not, you’ve got love, compassion, and unselfishness in spades.”
Enya discovers that meditation helps her, so she starts doing it a lot. And somehow this leads to visions, that will be what leads the story.
This book remembers me of Release, book that I actually didn’t enjoy (although I loved the rest of the saga and hope it will be the same with this one).
The book has a huge focus on helping you learn that love is everything, and not only as a couple. Learning to love herself and the others is what allows Enya to keep going with her life and actually enjoy it.
And it’s amazing when I truly let the love in, how I see it and find it everywhere. How it self propagates. My world is a joyous place. That doesn’t mean that bad things don’t happen, and it doesn’t mean my diagnosis has changed. It just means that I choose happiness. I choose love. It’s like Jacob had said. What if every moment was a choice? Full stop. No past, no future, just this moment, and I have the power of a choice.
It also has a big focus on showing a little of the story of Native American people, and all the things they lived.
One of the things I didn’t love about the book is how many hard subjects were at the beginning. We find out Enya has Huntington’s, Jacob is looking for his Native roots, and we get a lot of information about this. And Yasmin, Enya’s best friend, is Muslim and lesbian, which means her family sort of exiled her. I actually liked all of this, but felt too much information at once.
Also, Enya leans a lot in homeopathy and acupuncture, but this subjects felt more natural in the story.
The other thing that bothered me was the format. The story is told on Enya’s POV (except for one chapter on Jacob’s) but before every chapter we have a scene, that seems to be from visions, but this honestly confused me a lot.
What I did love were the characters. All of them were complex and real, with their own stories. It was impossible not to fell in love with Enya and Jacob.
“Jacob, how do you not get angry?” “Oh, I get angry. I’m a little more practiced at catching it. Anger is like poison. You speak angry words to a plant as you harvest it, and the food when you are angry, and you are serving poison. When you have a lifetime of viewing the importance of it like that, you get lots of practice at halting your reaction before you say or do something stupid.”
The thing with this book is that half of me loved it, and the other half hates it.
[su_spoiler title=”I can’t explain this without spoilers so, here they are (this are not big spoilers but I prefer to warn)” icon=”chevron-circle”] I loved how the book is constantly giving you hope, and making you learn to forgive and live your life day by day. But I just couldn’t handle the ending. I know I should have seen it coming, but it felt like such a hit of reality that I got mad.
[/su_spoiler]
Woaaaa, I almost forget! There’s so much Taylor Swift in this book ?. Jacob is a huge fan. I love her too, so this was pretty awesome.
Jacob’s amazingly perceptive in picking up on all my moods and cues for a guy. Must be all the Taylor Swift music. Yasmin and I like to tease him incessantly for being such a Swiftie. I’m more of a Twenty One Pilots girl myself.
As you can see, this is not a bad book. Just wasn’t the perfect one for me at the time. Actually, I would blindly recommend it to you if you need to remember how to find hope in the darkest moments. If you need a reminder that a spark is all that it takes.
“Things happen for a reason. And we’re not given things we can’t handle. You were given this because you are so strong. You might not feel it now, but you are. Strong and amazing. Let your light shine, don’t let some uncertain future dim it.”
Bye bye ?
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Today is the last day of the tour, but if you want to see the other posts you can visit Favourite Pages Book Club.
Synopsis
An exiled goddess goes on a quest to clear her name and save Mount Olympus in Talia Rothschild & A. C. Harvey’s action-packed young adult debut, The Immortal Game!
Galene, daughter of Poseidon, desperately wants to earn her place among the gods. But when a violent attack leaves Mount Olympus in chaos and ruins, she is accused of the crime. Banished from Olympus, Galene sets out to prove her innocence and discovers a more deadly plot—one that threatens even the oldest of Immortals.
Fortunately, she has allies who willingly join her in exile:
A lifelong friend who commands the wind. A defiant warrior with deadly skill. A fire-wielder with a hero’s heart. A mastermind who plays life like a game.
All-out war is knocking at the gates. Galene and her friends are the only ones who can tip the scales toward justice, but their choices could save Olympus from total annihilation, or be the doom of them all.
Review
Thank you so much to Favourite Pages, Talia Rothschild and A. C. Harvey for letting me be part of this tour.
I am the daughter of Poseidon, God of the Seas. The words vibrated through her. I will save my friends. I will clear my name. The strength of the maelstrom rose around her power, threatening to overshadow it. I will tame the sea.
Galene is the daughter of Poseidon. As such she has to prove her value and that she deserves to be immortal.
All the sons of gods must pass this test to gain their immorality at 21, but Galene will do so at 18 for being the daughter of one of the Twelve Olympians, as well as her best friend, Iyana, daughter of Zeus.
The trial consists of defeating a combination of beasts assigned by Fate through cards. Unfortunately, Galene fails her trial, with a chance to retry in 10 more years.
Kostas, God of Games and son of Hermes, has the power to see auras. Galene’s beast was so powerful that he suspected sabotage, but seeing the auras of The Twelve, it seems even more likely.
That same night, someone steals the cards and creates random monsters to cause destruction. The problem is that a vision of Apollo clearly shows that Galene did it, but she is innocent. Since no one can face the Twelve, Galene is exiled from Olympus without ever being able to achieve her immortality. Iyana, cannot bear such injustice and decides to go into exile with her, along with her boyfriend Demitri, son of Ares and Aphrodite.
The three decide to look for Chrysander, Galene’s brother who exiled himself a few years ago when he did not agree with how things were going in Olympus.
On the way they are caught by Kostas and his best friend Braxtus, Apollo’s son and who is madly in love with Iyana.
Chrysander, along with his allies, have a plan to fix things on Olympus. But it involves destroying it. Now Galene, Iyana, Braxtus and Kostas must go on a mission against time to retrieve an object from the Gods, the avyssos, and save Olympus. Or destroy it …
I love Greek mythology books, especially when there is some kind of competition on Olympus. I loved the idea of monsters created using the deck of cards. It was difficult for me to understand it at first due to the names of the beasts, however this becomes clearer as the story progresses.
I had a hard time getting caught on the book in the beginning because there was so much information to absorb. It is told through the points of view of Galene, Iyana, Kostas and Braxtus, but in third person. However, once the story progresses it becomes easy to follow and all the pieces start to fit together. Even after some unexpected twists ?.
To find and recover the avyssos, they must face various challenges that test each one’s abilities. In which Iyana feels completely useless. I really enjoyed watching her growth in particular, as she managed to find her strength and become a powerful Goddess in more ways than one.
In this story there is room for romance, but it is not the main focus. The focus is the mission of the five friends and their path of growth, in addition to the injustices on Olympus. It has a lot of action and adventure.
It has happened to me more than once in this type of book that the ending disappoints me, but this was not the case. The ending seemed perfect to me and I really hope this story continues in the style of a new Percy Jackson.
Authors
Talia Rothschild, Italian American, is passionate about stories in many forms—music, dance, photography, film and, of course, great novels. She believes in thick hot chocolate and creamer in your tea. When she’s not happily writing, she’s mothering the sweetest baby girl and making memories with her husband. Her debut book The Immortal Game, coauthored with A. C. Harvey, hits the shelves May 2021.
Ashleigh Harvey is teaching high school physics and bringing her writing dreams to life. English-born and world-traveled, she loves filling her life with new adventures, such as visiting a new country or exploring the Wild West with her husband. She also finds escape in movies, music, literature, and yearly comic conventions. The Immortal Game is her debut novel, created alongside Talia Rothschild, her close friend.
It’s been six months since Riley Thomas, reluctant medium extraordinaire, has had a ghost haunting her apartment, and she prefers it that way. Life is less complicated when the dead aren’t trying to get her attention. Her best friend is getting married and wants to DIY her way through wedding prep—Riley’s got no time for ghosts.
One of Jade’s wedding must-haves is vintage film cameras her guests can use to help document the big day. The months-long hunt for relics leads to a thrift shop jackpot, and Riley adds the cameras to the growing pile of wedding supplies in her apartment. That night, Riley gets a midnight wake-up call from a ghostly Black woman in a yellow dress.
Even after the haunted cameras are removed from the apartment, the ghost woman keeps popping up, both in Riley’s dreams and in the corner of her eye. Tracking down the previous owner of the cameras proves difficult, and as Riley digs deeper, she uncovers a link between the cameras and two murdered women—one white, one Black, yet neither one is Riley’s mystery woman.
Though the identity of the ghost proves to be as elusive as her predator, Riley is determined to uncover the truth of what happened to these women. But now someone knows she’s looking… and he’s hell-bent on making sure he finds her first.
Review
Warning: This is the story of a serial killer who raped his victims before killing them. It is not graphic in that sense, but constantly mentioned.
6 months have passed since the visit to the Jordanville Ranch. Riley and Michael are happy with their relationship, while Jade is about to get married to her boyfriend. Clearly Riley is her bridesmaid. The problem is that Jade is determined to do everything with her own hands for her wedding (for real, like, she even wanted to cook ?), so she has been dragging Riley all over town.
The problem with Jade was that she was obsessed with ghosts. The whole reason the spirits of serial killer Orin Jacobs and little Pete Vonick had entered Riley’s life in the first place had been because Jade forced Riley to attend a ghost hunting investigation weekend at Orin’s former home. And now another ghost was in her life, thanks to Jade. Maybe she needed a new best friend. A voice in the back of her head told her she couldn’t blame the Poltergeist of Aisle 3 on Jade. Or the weeping woman from miniature golf. She told the voice to shut up.
Riley’s abilities can’t be turned off, so even going to the supermarket became a problem when she encounters a raging ghost in an aisle. What to say when, after buying some old cameras for Jade’s marriage, a ghost appears in her own room… again.
Which meant two things. First, at least one of those cameras that sat in a box in her living room was haunted. Dammit. And second? She had to call Nina. Double dammit.
The cameras were connected to the death of the young woman in the yellow dress who appeared to Riley. And when her dreams make her suspect that she is not the only victim, Riley has no choice but to reconnect with Nina, the medium she met at the ranch, and go back into solving these cases. .
Since Melissa said that this guy was even more psycho than the ones in the previous book, I was very scared, however this book was less terrible for me in that sense, since we are not inside his head like we were in Orin’s, which it was what really traumatized me.
However, it is just as terrible as the previous one in terms of the history.
Really my favorite part of these books is how they manage to mix the paranormal, with mystery and police investigation, with horrors, but also with things as mundane as a marriage or the development that Riley and Michael’s relationship is having, even showing us a food contest with his family. This not only helps to relax the tension of the book quite a bit, but it helps to connect more and more with Riley.
“Ooh,” Michael said from across the table. “If we’re going somewhere tropical, sister dear, your ass will be going swimming with dolphins.” Donna shuddered violently beside Riley. “She was bitten by a dolphin at SeaWorld when she was a kid,” Carla told Riley. “Demon fish,” Donna whispered softly to herself. Riley suppressed a laugh.
Melissa does an incredible job of also showing how some cases receive more attention than others, which in fact was what prevented these murders from being discovered in the beginning, since being of “different levels” it was impossible for them to be connected.
This is a thriller and ghost story book, but it’s not really scary in that regard. The terrible thing is the serial killers and especially knowing that this part is not fiction. If you like mega dense mysteries without romance, this is not your book, it is a thriller a little “lighter” for saying, much more focused on the emotional. Again a round story for me. I hope Riley goes on her unelected detective path. What worries me is Melissa’s search history which must be full of phrases like “how to hide a body” ?.
The men chuckled. “Ah, so psychics have a dark sense of humor, too?” McGregor asked. “It’s that or I curl up in a fetal position and never get up again.” Howard grinned at her. “Same.”
It makes me think of Robert Welsh’s Monday ghost stories videos, which I take the opportunity to recommend because they are great. I would always see them, but every time I do I can’t sleep at night, so you can see my level of bravery ??.
Bye bye ?
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I woke up on a cold slab in a morgue, two weeks ago, with no memories, and a new drinking habit that seriously cramps my ability to make friends.
Now I’m hunting for answers in Sin City about my past and who I was, but someone else is hunting me.
When Death, himself, comes to collect me, I find myself facing the most magnificent, terrifying being imaginable. Who knew the grim reaper wore a tailored suit, and ran the most exclusive hotel on the Vegas strip?
He wants to hold me prisoner? Fine, I will rattle the cage and make his life a living hell until I get my freedom.
And I absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, let him know his hand is wrapped around my soul.
Review
There was no rest for the wicked, and certainly never for Death.
First I will tell you a little story of how I picked up this book, if you want to completely ignore me it’s ok, just scroll down to the review itself, when the pink ends
So, I’ve been into Holly’s Hellion Facebook group for a while. Which by the way is one of the best Facebook groups ever so if you’re not in there stop loosing time and follow that link.
Being in that group I’ve got to see Holly’s personality and absolutely loved it, I swear she’s an extremely hilarious and sweet witch. With that, I’ve been wanting to read her books for a while but haven’t been able to.
And like this my conversation with myself starts:
Holly starts talking about this, her new book. Me: “I don’t like steamy books, I won’t read it”.
Holly talks more about what the book is about. Me: “I said I won’t read it”.
Holly reveals cover. Me: “Oh, who the hell cares, give me that book.”
ARCs open (this is my mind’s Holly): Holly: “Anyone wants to…” Me: “MEEEEEEEEEE!” Holly: “But I didn’t even fini…” Me: “You made it woman, you gave me a Death wish
So, I ended up with a copy and dying to read it. Like, seriously I wanted to give 5 stars to the blurb.
Real review starts here.
Vivien is a vampire… That’s all she knows. She died and woke up (or reborn or whatever happens to vampires) in a cold box on a morgue, with no memory of her past, not even her name. She just picked Vivien.
I woke up in a hospital morgue, a vampire with no memories, I destroy a fridge full of blood like a girl’s rampant ice cream binge after a bad breakup, and then a weird dog shows up, threatens me, then disappears. Sure.
Even thought vampires feed of blood. She decided to not become a monster and never feed on a human. She survives in the sewers feeding on rats.
Seeing more vampires should have left me giddy with delight. Hey guys, I’m part of your bloodsucking club, let’s go for drinks and talk about how our lives have taken such a crazy turn. But it was clear the three vampires weren’t down for the “gosh, why did this happen to us” commiseration I had in mind.
Trying to get back her past, she crosses path with Grim, the Death itself. And yeah, it’s true that with that guy you can’t avoid having a Death wish ?.
Why was tempting Death so…fun? Maybe I was a few fries short of a happy meal? I recalled cackling like a maniac in the morgue, covered in blood. Yep, I was definitely this side of crazy. I tacked on death wish to the list of things I knew about myself. Though knowing Death looked like that, who wouldn’t wish for him?
He notices she’s a sekhor (another word for vampire, I believe is derogatory but may not be) and for that she has to die (again ?).
Still, he had barged in, scared off my mark, called me what sounded like a dirty word, and assaulted me. I wasn’t cowing down to this son of a bitch, no matter how bone-melting gorgeous he was. Or how pee-my-pants terrifying.
But vampires were supposed to be eradicated for a million years, so Grim decides to keep her alive and use her as bait to get to the master, the one creating the vampires.
The moment they find the master, Vivien would stop being useful and Grim would kill her. But there’s an undeniable attraction going on between them that may come between his plans.
This is one of those kinds of books you don’t want to read in public because you would have to constantly explain why you’re laughing out loud like a maniac.
I laid a hand against the doorway of Grim’s massive closet to hold myself up, since my legs had magically been replaced by rubber. My stomach took an icy plunge as the gears in my brain did their best to turn faster. I imagined tiny people running around the pink matter in my skull yelling to each other in a panic. How is she processing, Jenkins? Doesn’t look good, sir. Dammit, Jenkins, start pulling all the levers. But for god’s sake, keep away from the one that releases drool. We don’t need her looking any stupider as is. I’ll try, sir, but we might have to give her all we’ve got.
The suspicions I’d had about what he was hiding under those suits were confirmed. He had lickable, cut abs, and the most perfect, muscled arms. A tattoo covered his left shoulder and dipped down over his bicep. It was a skull in a pharaoh’s headdress. His torso V-eed down into what remained of his pants, which rode dangerously low on his hips. Grim’s state of undress didn’t help my processing abilities one bit. And Jenkins accidently pulled the drool lever. I bit my lip to keep it at bay.
It’s absolutely one of the best books I’ve read. So hilarious and with so many things going on in the back, but still easy to follow.
I’ve finally understood the “steamy” term for books. Since the moment they lied eyes on each other, there was a sexual tension SO HIGH that I could feel how my eyes got foggy as a bathroom mirror. Still, it was far from the trending books that have more sex than story. Although I admit I didn’t know the word “nipples” could be used so many times in a book ?. Still, I loved so much the characters that it didn’t matter.
Vivien is so strong and snarky, she really seems to light a room when she enters, just to set in on fire a second later ?.
Next, I moseyed around the penthouse despite being dead tired. Haa. At least, I knew I was a funny person.
While Grim is… Grim ?. He’s a guy that has live for centuries, probably more, living for his duty and nothing else. He has giving into the temptation of living differently just once and things didn’t end well. So he has completely locked his heart in a safe. Until Vivien enters his life and kick his safe so hard it shatters into a million pieces no matter how hard he tries to keep it from cracking.
Why was I arguing with her? She was clearly a mental patient in her previous life, which made me the insane one for thinking I could win an argument. Better to just kill her now and make my life easier.
Other characters that deserve to be mentioned are Timothy and Miranda. Timothy seems to be Grim’s butler, but he’s so much more, I still see him as Alfred for Batman though ?
Strangely enough I wasn’t drawn to either of the men in my presence. It was as if my senses were blind to their blood. I knew Death was, well, Death. But what was the other guy? If I had to guess from his formal, business-like demeanor, my first guess was robot. My second guess was cyborg. Or maybe he was just British.
And Miranda is, as Vivien described her, her personal GI Jane. She is part of the Army, but finds herself in the middle of this fight with creatures she though were just stories. Still she refuses to stop until she can make the world safe again.
With a sigh, I submitted. “Bring the boy as well. I don’t want him unattended after the sekhors targeted Ms. West.” We made our way to the door. Behind me, Miranda asked Vivien, “Sekhors?” “Another name for vampires,” Vivien clarified. Timothy had fallen into step next to me while Jamal trailed behind his mother, headphones lodged in his ears. “Sounds kind of…lewd,” Miranda said under breath. Vivien perked up. “That’s what I thought.” Then hushing her voice in case Jamal could hear, she said, “I thought he was calling me a sucky whore when he first said it.” A snort came from beside me. I shot Timothy a dark look. He made sounds as if he were clearing his throat.
I will avoid any spoiler so I’ll just use the tittle for saying that the immortals living in Vegas is just… Gold.
Also, and probably not relevant for native English speakers, this was one of the hardest books to read for me. There were so many jokes and expressions that I haven’t heard in my life. Still, it was easy to follow the story.
Bye bye ?
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From Medusa, it was her reputation. From Poseidon, it was his freedom.
When Poseidon is released from prison, after years of being locked away, the bodies start piling up, and all fingers point to Medusa. Agent Kyrie Alcide of the Perseus Initiative is tasked with investigating the case, and keeping tabs on Medusa. But Kyrie is about to find out that everything in the legend of the infamous gorgon might not be as it seems.
Now, if Kyrie can’t discover who the real murderer is Medusa could find herself their next victim.
Review
Everyone takes things that don’t belong to them. A dollar on the street. A pen at the bank. Another person’s order at the coffee shop. From Medusa, they took her reputation. From Poseidon, they took his freedom. And from this man… From this man, they took his life.
This is the opening line for this book. Pretty catchy huh?
Kyrie is an agent of Perseus. They are like the CSI for the mythological business.
She’d been told once not to use colored inks— it was unprofessional. Kyrie had ignored that suggestion and kept right on doing as she pleased. So long as she got results, she didn’t see where it mattered what color she wrote in.
When the murders seem to connect to one person, Kyrie is ready to find the truth. Even more as this person is Medusa, who Kyrie is completely in love with (honestly don’t know if only as a fan or something more). Medusa is tired of being hiding, but her life may not be the only one at risk.
It was too early to drink. But those rules didn’t apply to women who had learned the man who’d raped them and ruined their lives was dead. Nor did they apply to women who’d been accused of murder. Those rules applied to normal women. Women who got up in the morning, got dressed, and went to work. Women who had boyfriends or girlfriends. Women who didn’t spend their lives trying to pretend like they didn’t exist at all.
I loved Kyrie because she’s clearly awesome at her job, but her methods are… different.
“So … noodles?” Medusa prompted, still feeling strangely bereft and more concerned now than ever about laying her fate in the hands of someone who needed noodles to solve a murder. “Macaroni art!” Elijah cheered. Kyrie went back to inspecting her “art supplies,” lining the boxes up on the bar so she could take in the different shapes. “I’m dead. Aren’t I?” Medusa asked, not expecting an answer. “Nah, you’ll be all right.” Elijah winked at her. “Kyrie’s weird, but she gets results.”
And it was nice to see this Medusa. She was so… human. Feeling absolutely powerless and hopeless in her daily life. I actually felt really bad for her.
Coffee. Medusa needed coffee so she could function as a proper human being. Or proper gorgon being, rather. Not that it mattered one way or the other, they were so close to the same these days.
I actually had a great time reading this book and it was a super fast reading. The only reason I don’t give it more stars is because the ending dissapointed me. It wasn’t a bad ending, but I didn’t really buy the villain, so that avoided me to enjoy it more.
I would still recommend it though, as it was fun and I laughed a lot with Kyrie and Medusa (and Elijah ?.
Elijah shot to his feet, scattering papers in his rush to reach the desk chair. He threaded his fingers together and pushed them over his head, cracking the knuckles. The groan he let out when he lowered his arms again was theatrical, dramatic. Medusa rolled her eyes. “We don’t have all sorts of time for pomp.” “There is always time for pomp,” Elijah said with a wink over his shoulder.
Bye bye ?
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In this Young Adult page turner, Attina finds herself in an unlikely predicament when it’s uncovered the normal, human existence she thought she lived is turned upside down. Finding out she’s half Fae not only confounds her, but in a time where the brutal Fae run the world she is suddenly tasked with bringing the Fae and humans together.
With the help of her trusty, and somewhat snarky steed Raven, Attina sets out on a mission to save the human race from extinction. As she continues on her mission, she discovers powers beyond her wildest dreams.
In a world where it’s tricky to discern who’s good and where the evil really lies, Attina finds herself in one predicament after another, not knowing who to trust except for Raven. As her journey unfolds, her strength and will are tested.
Will she ever be strong enough to bridge the gap between these two worlds?
Review
Attina is a 20-year-old girl who lives in a small town with her father. Her mother passed away when she was born. Also in the village lives James, her lifelong best friend, who is seven years older and “in love” with her. He even constantly tells her that they will eventually getting married.
“Why do you always say you want to marry me?” At my question, his mouth drops open. “You have no idea, do you?” I purse my lips. “Attina, you are my best friend. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. Our families already love each other, and being with you would be as easy as breathing; and just so you know, I plan to be breathing for the rest of my life.”
A few years ago, humans tried to blow up a place known as Shadow Mountain to make a tunnel, ignoring the legends about it. The Fae took advantage of this “provocation” and slaughtered every human who crossed their path. Fortunately and for no apparent reason, they stopped and humans live in peace. However, food is scarce, so Attina and James go hunting every day.
Growing up, all the children in our town were told stories about the Fae. I guess you could call them scary stories. Stories where a Fae drags a fair maiden back to it’s realm and she doesn’t ever return. What a simpler time when fairies were only characters in a story. These stories were even called fairytales. Those were the good old days when the monsters weren’t real; now it seems like they are.
One of these huntings changes their lives completely when they are attacked by a Solis. Basically zombies created by the Faes to destroy their own race. Until this moment Attina believed them a myth, but discovering one and so close to the village was too dangerous. To protect themselves, they all decide to head towards a Sanctuary.
Since they would have to leave the village, Silas, Attina’s father, takes her to one last camp at their usual place. However, his true intention is to reveal the truth to Attina: that her mother was a Fae, and that now the fate of the Fae and humans is in her hands.
Queen Attina? My parents seriously expect me to kill my grandfather and become a queen? How is such a thing even possible? I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around all of this.
The “camp” was also intended to train Attina in combat, to use a sword, and even her powers once fully manifested (if she had powers).
In the meantime, the Fae king will not rest easy knowing of the existence of a half-Fae, so he sends his best guard to dispose of her, his stepson Allister.
“Well little kitten, you seem to have gotten yourself into a bind. Haven’t you ever heard curiosity killed the cat?” Before I realize it, words are pouring out of my mouth. “Finish the quote. Satisfaction brought it back.” I don’t know why, but I can’t stop myself from being a smartass to him, even now.
I didn’t really like the beginning of this book, and it was difficult for me to keep going, but it was because James really scares me. When thinking about it, and especially when rereading some quotes, there are moments when it truly seems that James is just a boy in love with his friend, however from the beginning I saw something strange about him that disturbed me deeply. His attitude with Attina, I felt that he was constantly forcing their relationship, and I was concerned that this behavior had not been noticed by the author. Fortunately, it is clear to me now that it was intentional.
“No, Attina. I need to get this off my chest. Today what I said, I didn’t mean it. You are the most capable person I know. I lost my family all those years ago, but as soon as we met you became my new family, whether you know it or not. But you don’t need a man in your life for you to be happy which scares me. The fact that you don’t need me makes me feel useless, like I could disappear, and you wouldn’t notice.”
At first Attina feels similar to Katniss (The Hunger Games). In the sense that they had to hunt to survive, and their skills with the bow were masterful. I suppose they do resemble each other in the sense that they both receive a huge responsibility that they didn’t ask for, but Katniss is less complaining… and less clumsy?.
There’s no way for me to catch myself and I fall down into the water, straight onto my butt. Being a klutz I’ve learned falling on your face hurts way too much. So over the years I’ve learned how to always fall on my butt. Somehow I get a mouthful of water and I end up chest Deep in freezing cold water. My father appears on the other bank of the creek cackling. He’s doubled over at the waist, hands on his knees, laughing.
After learning that the fate of the world is on her shoulders, she seems to take it too well, but only until she has to start training and realizes that things will not be easy. Ironically, she seemed to expect everything to play out as if her life were the story of a book?. She is immature and innocent, also excessively impulsive, but this is totally understandable by the way she was raised, totally oblivious to the dangers and her true identity. Her life became complicated from one second to the next and she was forced to strengthen herself.
I vaguely realize Raven is saying something to me, but I’m too far away in my own world to hear her. I’m flipping through my memories. Each and every laugh, smile, hug, and support they gave me over the years. How they always protected me above everything else. They can’t be gone. I still need protecting. I wrap my arms around myself while rocking back and forth. I feel like a child trying to soothe themselves, but it’s the only thing that helps.
Once at the camp, I found it very interesting to see Silas train his daughter without the slightest compassion. I suppose this is the best way to train a person, but going from treating your daughter like glass to kicking her butt yourself must be quite shocking ?.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I turn to glance up at him and say, “I’m eating.” He snatches the plate out of my hands and throws the plate and all into the fire pit. “You haven’t earned food yet, your little stunt this morning made sure of that,” “But Father, I didn’t do it on purpose.” I can feel the tears welling up. Anyone who knows me knows the one way to break me is to deny me food.
Now my favorite characters are definitely the horses, especially Raven. Oak and Raven are Fae horses, so they are faster and stronger than a normal horse, and they also talk…
Apart from the fact that they are actually good characters and are very relevant to the story, I found it very funny to remember myself in the middle of the dialogue that they were horses and try to position them correctly.
“Wait so that thing was a Fae creature? That explains it’s strangeness.” Both horses turn to peer up at me, which makes blood rush to my cheeks. I backpedal, “Oh I didn’t mean you two—I just meant—“ Oak turns his head back forward “we know what you meant. It’s okay, most Fae creatures are strange.”
The relationship between Attina and Raven is quite interesting, because they have hated each other all their lives and suddenly they must learn to work together. Their personalities are super strong, so it is impossible for them not to argue, but it’s nice to see how they are able to learn to trust each other.
“How long have I been out?” “Two and a half days.” I lose my balance and sidestep “What?” “Yeah, I was starting to get worried. If you didn’t wake up soon, I was thinking I’d have to buck you off and send you flying,” she says with an ornery wink. I stick my tongue out at her like the adult I am. For a split second, everything seems like it will be okay, but my heavy heart knows that’s not true. Nothing will ever be okay or the same again.
I enjoyed the book a lot, especially from the moment Allistar appeared. It seemed pretty introductory to me though, so I’m looking forward to part two to get some answers to the thousand questions in my head.
PS: Totally random data, apparently Chile is full of Fae.
“She said when a Fae comes of age there is a power which is released, a power so forceful it makes the ground quake. She said that’s what earthquakes actually are: a Fae coming into their power.”
Bye bye ?
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Kasen Gray has been followed for most of his life by a wolf that no one else can see. After realizing that no one believed him and being told it’s all in his head, he found it was best to keep the secret to himself and call his strange behavior a mental illness instead.
Kasen is now seventeen, and the secret is becoming too dark and heavy to keep hidden, and his best friend Juniper has taken notice of his constant state of exhaustion and fear. He can’t keep the wolf under control for much longer, and with Juniper getting closer, the wolf is becoming unexpectedly violent. The only thing worse than it lashing out at him is it lashing out at his best friend who he’s falling in love with.
The wolf is changing. That much Kasen knows.
But at this point, he isn’t sure if he can keep Juniper and himself alive.
Review
This wasn’t the first time the boy had seen this wolf. He knew it wouldn’t be the last. It would haunt him like a ghost. He didn’t know for how long. But he quickly learned two simple facts. No one else could see the wolf. And no one would believe him.
Kasen is a 17-year-old boy who has seen a black wolf since he was 4. His parents never believed him and made it look like a mental illness, but K has a scar that the wolf has left on him, his mind could not do that.
Yesterday threw me off. I’m paying too much attention to my symptoms, my anxiety making me believe I’m feeling some already. My vision goes out once for a second and I panic, thinking it’s the Wolf already coming back when in reality, it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. Maybe that’s what this whole thing is to begin with. I don’t know. But last I checked, if something scratches you deep enough to leave a scar, chances are it’s not a hallucination. My scar is the only thing convincing me this is real.
K’s “illness” was too much for his parents (at least he thinks so) and it ended up ruining their marriage. Their mother abandoned them never to return when K was only 10 years old, from that day on his father dedicated himself to drinking and K was forced to take care of himself, the house and his father.
Juniper, K’s best friend, has been his greatest support. Both of them have become absolutely inseparable and fully trust each other. The pain has probably helped bring them together. June lives with her uncles after her parents died in a car accident caused by someone texting instead of looking where he was going. June’s uncles are wonderful, they adopted her as their daughter and the truth is that they support K as much as possible too.
“You know me, K, you know how I am. Emotional, messy, and a constant mental wreck.” I laugh, and so does she, the sound warming me in spite of this cold. “But I’m okay.“
They are both absolutely in love with the other, but they are afraid of ruining their friendship, so neither wants to bring it up. The problem is that both let it glimpse at times causing doubt in the other. However, their friendship is more important.
Besides, Kasen is worse than ever. When the wolf appears, symptoms like nausea, headache, and dizziness accompany it. His hours of sleep are absolutely insufficient and the symptoms are getting worse by the day. June knows something is wrong with him, but she had never seen it so bad, so she scolds him until he confesses about the wolf.
Kasen was super scared that June would not believe him, and the truth is that it seemed impossible to her, but it was absolutely clear too that he was not lying, even if it was only in his mind. So she decided to help him.
June’s support improves things at first, but something seems to change with the wolf and things get even more complicated. The wolf doesn’t like June, or maybe he does… but like food.
I suffered a lot reading this story. K and June are SO lovable characters, and they’ve both suffered SO MUCH that it really hurts to see them having a hard time. Fortunately they have each other.
As for their romantic relationship… This book invented the category of slow-burn romance ? (it’s not a critic, it just makes me laugh). But other than that, it’s one of the cutest relationships I’ve ever seen. Plus the two of them had loved each other unconditionally as friends for a long time, so their relationship is really special.
“Juniper, you are beautiful. Out here,” he brushes my cheek with his fingers before moving his hand to rest over my heart, “but especially in here. There is no one else out there worth caring for, worth feeling this for. And if you don’t feel the same, please break my heart. It would be a privilege to have it broken by you.”
The book seemed extremely original to me. I feel like I spent almost the entire book without understanding what was happening with the wolf, but without being able to stop reading. My brain was completely blank on theories (except it could be like Kafka’s Metamorphosis I really hoped it wasn’t).
Another thing that seemed curious to me is that this book actually has only a little paranormal touch, which is usually not enough for me, but so many “normal” things happen in the story that at times I forgot about the wolf and did not care. Although when it appears… what an annoying beast?.
The only thing to keep in mind is that the story is slow. Each scene is extremely descriptive, which allows it to be perfectly visualized, but it slows down its reading, as well as some ideas that were repeated or some moments that confused me. But, the truth is that the story caught me enough that this didn’t bother me and I give it 5 stars anyway for how powerful were the feelings that it gave me.
Technically, this is the story of a 17-year-old boy who sees a wolf. But it is actually much more than that. It is the story of two best friends who have had to endure a lot. That at 17 have been forced to mature, but have each other to stand up.
He’s at the counter, smiling at the lady behind it, laughing at something stupid she probably said. He’s always been better at talking to strangers than me. Still awkward and secretly wishing he could be somewhere else, but better than me.
It is a wonderful story of much suffering, but in which you can see the power that love has to move forward. That deals with mental problems, even if the wolf isn’t really one. In addition to present how fragile and short life can be, and how the decisions of one person can modify the destiny of many.
The wind picks up, the snow flurries falling faster, but never sticking to the ground for more than a second. Kind of like us. We’re born. We fall through life, until one day we’re just gone. Here one second, gone the next, before you can even blink. Before you can take a breath. Before you can beg them to stay.
It really broke my soul, but at least it has a happy ending. What scares me is that it has a book 2 ?.
Bye bye ?
PS: I found this video from The Ross Cam channel that really looks like a parody of K’s life?.
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Welcome to Harper Landing, a small town filled with people who believe in happy endings.
Left raising his newly orphaned nephew after a tragic accident, Aaron Baxter fears he’s not cut out to be a single dad. But to give baby Jack the life he deserves—and to find a peaceful refuge for himself—Aaron moves to the idyllic Pacific Northwest town of Harper Landing.
Julia Harper, descendant of the town’s founder and successful frozen yogurt shop owner, is mostly resigned to her role as the often-overlooked girl next door. But when the town newcomer, Aaron, reaches out for help with Jack, she finds herself yearning to take part in a sweet love story of her own.
To Aaron, the grace Julia extends is a balm for his aching heart and the guilt he feels over his sister’s death. To Julia, Aaron’s adoration is the key to finally realizing her own worth. With a baby in the middle, can these two hurting souls find completeness in each other?
Review
A huge thank you to Literary Bound Tours and Jennifer Bardsley for allowing me to be a part of this tour.
Sweet Bliss is a Small Town, Clean Romance book. I LOVE movies of this style, they are my favorites to watch with my mom, but this is the first time I have read a book of this style, and I was really worried that I may get bored.
Fortunately, it was an unfounded fear, and while the book didn’t catch me completely right away, it didn’t take long for me to become so fond of Aaron and Julia that I didn’t want to stop reading their story. And of course with the exquisite Jack.
Aaron is a 29 year old, co-creator of a very successful Paleo company…
*Cultural moment: The paleo diet is based on the fact that human beings are genetically adapted to eat what our Paleolithic ancestors ate: meat, vegetables, fish, fruits; and it is better to avoid dairy, legumes and cereals.*
Maybe he’d stop by the Smoothie Hut and gulp down a glass of carrot juice. Aaron normally disapproved of consuming juice since it wasn’t in the fruit’s or vegetable’s pure form, but he was feeling dangerous. Heck, he might even stop by the Parisian Café later and get a croissant. So what if it made him cramp up an hour later? Mr. Polo Shirt wasn’t the only one who could eat gluten.
His co-creator and best friend named Jared also became his brother-in-law by marrying his sister Sara. But Aaron’s life was turned upside down when Sara and Jared perish in a car accident leaving their newborn Jack under his care.
Aaron and Sara were raised by babysitters, and they didn’t want that for Jack, so Aaron decided to leave everything behind and move in with Jack near Jared’s parents, in the town of Harper Landing.
It was Friday night, and Aaron was googling nipples. Not the fun type of nipples, but the type that went on bottles.
Julia is a 28-year-old young woman who owns a frozen yogurt shop called Sweet Bliss. In addition, she is the only member of the Harpers, founders of the town, who is still alive after the death of her mother a year ago. As such, she owns several buildings which she rents at a much lower price than they are actually worth.
Waverley had said that freshly shined shoes expressed to the world that the person had their act together. Julia wasn’t sure if she had her act together or not, but at least with her blazer and shiny boots, she could pretend she did.
She is also the owner of a labrador named Toby, who is full of love but never stops making disasters. When Toby decides it’s a great idea to swim out to open sea, a stranger rushes to his rescue. The stranger turns out to be Aaron, who has moved into town a few months ago.
Her chocolate Labrador was a lot of things—loyal, affectionate, devilishly handsome—but clever wasn’t one of them. Over the past six months of their relationship, Julia had cursed his pedigree on more than one occasion. If there were just a smidgen of shelter mutt in him, maybe he’d be smarter. Now, her adorably clueless puppy was swimming into open waters, and all Julia could do was scream at the top of her lungs.
From this moment on, fate seems to want to bring Julia and Aaron together, even in the most unexpected situations, but neither of them will complain about it.
It is a beautiful story. Aaron has fully taken over care of Jack and is doing his best, becoming an exemplary father, but still feels inadequate and remains concerned about it.
How could he explain any of it? Was Jack his nephew or his son? He loved Jack with all his heart, but he wasn’t proud of the fact that Jack was in his care. It was Aaron’s fault Jack had been orphaned. No way could he push up the stroller’s sunshade and show his baby off. Not without feeling more awful than he already felt every day.
While Julia is an incredible woman who believes she is totally invisible due to her low self-esteem fueled by her mother’s criticism.
Everyone from her childhood was married or buried. But she was stuck in the same exact place she’d always been, alone.
It seems impossible to both of them that a person like them could be with someone so wonderful, which brings me to the points of view. We can see the story from the eyes of Julia and Aaron, so we can see how they think the other person is wonderful (and they really are) while, when we return to their point of view, we see how little they feel.
“There is no but.” She pointed at Jack. “If it weren’t for you, Jack would be an orphan right now, not the other way around. You’re the hero in his life story , not the villain.”
In addition to seeing the birth of this beautiful relationship and how they both help each other grow, we can also meet other villagers such as Martha and Frank, Jack’s paternal grandparents, who have a beautiful relationship, but are also having to deal with some problems, in addition to still suffer the loss of their son. There are more little pieces of stories that we get to see, but I don’t want to spoil any of it.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this story, and I’m really glad I read it. I just felt that the end came rushed, but because I didn’t want the story to end.
PS: Like I said, this book is a clean, small-town ROMANCE. I repeat it because it is different to my usual recommendations. Also, I’ve seen a lot of bad book reviews lately that actually happen because the person chose a genre that was not of their liking, and this is not the fault of the book or the author.
Author
Jennifer Bardsley believes in friendship, true love, and the everlasting power of books. A graduate of Stanford University, she lives in Edmonds, Washington with her husband and two children. Jennifer’s “I Brake for Moms” column has appeared in The Everett Herald every week since 2012. She also writes Young Adult Paranormal Romance under the pen name Louise Cypress. When she’s not writing books, or camping with her Girl Scout troop, you can find Jennifer walking from her house to the beach every chance she gets.
Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Bardsley By Montlake Romance On July 13th, 2021 Genres: Sweet Romance, Small-town Romance, Women’s Fiction Pages: 251 Format: Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook Purchase:Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Nobles Age Requirement: 18+
Bye bye ?
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Becoming paranormal queen will be a trial by fire…
I’ve found the elemental throne. Beat the Pack and Deathless at their own deadly game. Embraced my destiny as a paranormal queen.
That should have been the end of it, right?
Wrong. So, so wrong.
I’ve barely sat down on my cold new throne before I discover another plot to overthrow my rightful place and threaten the Outcasts. To prove myself (again) I’ll have to survive an ancient trial through the Dying Lands—a lost paranormal world hidden amongst ours, filled to the brim with magic and dangerous secrets.
Worse, Jasper is one of my opponents, forced to compete for the Deathless under the blood oath neither of us can break.
It’s official: fate hates me.
Along with my traitorous former-best friend, I’ll take on the trial to prove I’m the real deal, and not even a growing evil in the Dying Lands will stop me. Danger or not, heartbreak or not, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Jasper and the Outcasts safe.
Even if it means giving up the things I love most.
Review
What does betrayal—true betrayal—feel like? To me, it was worse than dying. And I should know.
Riley’s death was nothing more than a lie. A cruel game of fate for her to take her place as the last Outcast and fulfill the prophecy by finding the throne and becoming the Paranormal Queen… I wish it had been that “easy”, but fate seems to have quite a few things prepared for Riley.
I hadn’t signed up for this. Technically I hadn’t signed up for anything, but the universe didn’t care.
Finding the throne only activated the next part of the prophecy, forcing Riley to participate in a trial between 4 champions, to find the true Paranormal King/Queen.
“I finished the prophecy, but it’s like every step forward they add a new rule to screw me over.”
The 4 competitors correspond to one per group. The Outcast champion is clearly Riley, while the Pack champion is Lukas.
The champion of the Horde is a ghoul named Rasesh.
“I…” I shouldn’t admit this, not to one of the other champions of all people, but something about Rasesh’s flagrant honesty made it impossible for me to hide my own. “I’d be a terrible ruler.” Rasesh raised a bloated finger as though lecturing me. “And it isss that belief, the belief of someone who rejects power given to them, who understandsss its ability to change who they are into someone they are not, that makes a great ruler.”
And, how could it be otherwise, the champion of the Deathless is Jasper, forced to obey by his Blood Oath.
“… And yes, I’m scared.” He stood suddenly, his frame seeming to swell with anger. “But you should be too.” “Of what?” I said softly. “What should I be afraid of?” Jasper’s eyes were an angry red, the likes of which I’d never seen. His voice was deadly serious. “Me. You should be afraid of me.”
Obviously, this is not enough for Mr. Fate and Riley learns that her life was as much a lie as her death. After Iris’s betrayal, she decides to help her in the Trials, but Riley has no intention of forgiving her. And the thing is… she literally stabbed her in the back ?♀️.
We walked in silence for a minute. Iris sucked in a deep breath. “You have to understand, Riley, what I did, deceiving you, attacking you, it nearly killed me.” I spund around, and this time I was as honest as Iris believed me to be, my anger on full display, hands spitting sparks that had her backing up, terrified. “That’s funny, because it did kill me…”
Let’s see, first things first. The first book surprised me in such a way that I really thought I was ready for anything in this one, but nope. Sean turned my whole planet in the first few chapters.
“You are stronger. You’re one of the strongest people I know. But even strong people can’t stop every bad thing from happening.”
At least he had heart and the trials include a rule of not intervening with the other competitors (not that they respect it, but ?♀️) that saved me from expecting that Jasper would be forced to stab Riley at any moment (I am still sure that Valencia will use the oath for this at some point and I will die ?).
One very interesting thing about this story… is that apparently NOBODY stays dead !!! ? (I know I’m wrong and someone is going to die later, and I will regret saying that).
“Best of luck, Riley Jameson, champion of the Outcast. May your journey be devoid of danger and your trial’s end, should it come prematurely, be swift and painless.” What a pleasantly nice way to say he hoped I wouldn’t die. I’d have to remember that.
Now I need to make a mega confession: I’m in love with Jasper like my friends once loved Edward Cullen (cough cough Team Jacob cough cough), but yeah, it’s the first time in millennia that I’ve ever loved vampires again (or maybe the first once at all ?). Besides, in this book we can learn a little more about his past.
The top of the stairs creaked. My head snapped up. Speak of the vampire… Jasper stood there, peering down at me. Totally shirtless. My mind temporarily turned as useful as whipped cream, my fuming anger and doubts replaced with rippling muscles. “Riley.” He moved down to me and I might have let out a little sigh as the moonlight flashed over his chest. I wasn’t pinning, I wasn’t pining… Jasper wrapped an arm around me, a concerned look on his face. “You all right?” he asked in a gravelly voice that sent a thrill up my spine. Okay, I was pining a little.
Outside of my absolute fangirling, Riley is also an amazing character, super strong, she never gives up (even if she wants to), and she’s mega sarcastic.
“Sure. Some big city opened up a ways from here and now all the rumors say there’s some throne up for grabs.” His eyes narrowed. “Say… you aren’t one of those looking, are ya? That’d be strange, wouldn’t it? I wouldn’t expect a…” If he said “girl” then he’d find my fist flying toward his unfortunate mug before I could say “misogynist.” “…teenager trying to be ruler, or whatever it is they’re going after.” I lowered my arm, His face could be punch free another day.
The story had already bought me because I fell in love with the first book, and the fact that it was a kind of competition only made me more interested. At least I can say that it lived up to my expectations (HIGH ?). The tests are interesting, emotional and with high doses of magic and fantasy. This story really has everything from romance, friendship, philosophy (?), magic, action, a change of villain(?), to fantastic creatures, even fashion. All while constantly passing between the Dying Lands and the human world, while trying not to die. ?
I’m dying to read the next part and continue enjoying this story, especially to continue getting to know the Outcast.
We’ve got your back, “Sienna said confidently. She flicked her thumb to light a stick of incense she’d pulled from her pocket and stuck it behind her ear. “And you know Jasper won’t let a single one of them get near you.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Leon grunted. “Forget Jasper, I’ll rip them in half if they try anything. Some of those Deathless have been alive so long they think the world revolves around them. It’d be my pleasure to remind them that even the undead can still die. I let out a small sigh of relief. This was what I needed. Friends who’d always cover my back. Not stab me in it.
PS: Minute of silence for Jasper’s custom motorcycle…
PS2: I will add these quotes here because they did not fit in my post, but they are too good not to add them ?.
My first question to that should have been “Who, what and why?” but instead I said, “Great” and kept walking. I know, I know. Communication while I’m upset isn’t my strongest suit.
“You aren’t getting any help from me, so don’t ask,” he said. I pinched my fingers together. “Just a smidge,” I said in my most feminine, simpering voice that I assumed every man was at least somewhat susceptible to. The man’s scowl deepened. Great. Either this guy was totally immune to charms of any kind, or I had absolutely zero feminine wiles. Both were possibilities.
He tapped the tips of his ears. “Not many of us elves around anymore.” I balked. “Did you say elf?” “I did! Not Fae, not gnome, and before you ask, no, I am terrible at archery. Not all of us are like they show in the movies.”
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