Review: Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington

Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: April 24, 2018

Rating: 2 stars

Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

It’s summer romance and second chances, the songs that stay in your head, and the boy you’ll never forget.

Two years after rock-song-worthy heartbreak, Virginia Miller is looking forward to a fun, carefree summer. Her friends just landed a spot on a battling bands reality show, and Vee is joining them for her dream internship on tour. Three months with future rockstars seems like an epic summer plan. Until she learns she’ll also be sharing the bus with Cam. Her first love, and her first heartbreak. Now Vee has more than just cameras to dodge, and Cam’s determination to win her forgiveness is causing TMZ-worthy problems for both of them. With cameras rolling, she’ll have to decide if her favorite breakup anthem deserves a new ending. And if she’s brave enough to expose her own secrets to keep Cam’s under wraps.

What I Liked:

I think this is a case of "it's not you, it's me". I probably never should have picked up this book in the first place. I usually hate second-chance romances and I'm not really a YA contemporary person, BUT, I am most certainly a romance person, and this one didn't sound too bad in terms of the romance aspect, so I thought I'd be safe. Plus, there are so many positive reviews on Goodreads, by trusted friends and other reviewers. Sadly, I think I should have kept my distance.

This book is told in a "Then" and "Now" type of timeline, in Cameron's POV and Virginia's POV. That should have been my first red flag - I don't like reading split timelines. I love dual POVs, but reading then and now chapters doesn't work for me. For me. 

It starts in the "Now", with Virginia boarding the tour bus with the band - her friends Logan and Anders, a bandmate named Reese... and the fourth band member, Cameron. Virginia and Cameron have history, from two years ago, and it ended badly. But she has to put aside her broken heart and hurt feelings, because she's with the band on an internship in publicity, and the band is going to be followed around by cameramen, getting footage of the band as they compete across the nation. Everything is about to exposed, including Virginia's ever-present feelings for Cameron, Cameron's attempts at reconciliation, and secrets that were never meant to be uncovered.

Things I liked: Cameron. He's a sweetheart. I understand he broke up with Virginia two years ago, and supposedly that should make him the villain of this second-chance romance, but I wasn't buying that. Him breaking up with her had nothing to do with her, and her acting like a complete b***h to him in present times was so not called for. Cameron is a decent guy with a good heart. He had a crappy hand dealt to him. He's a good person.

I really can't think of anything else I enjoyed about this book. I guess there was a happy ending, but when you don't like the girl, is it really a happy ending?

What I Did Not Like:

I didn't like Virginia. Look, I get it. If I were in her shoes, I would be mad about getting dumped (and not knowing why, at the time). I would be bitter about it. Two years later, I'd probably still be bitter about it. But Virginia treats Cameron terribly. And she never apologizes for that - I think that's what makes me the most angry, when it comes to this type of situation. Sure, you get to be pissed off about having been dumped. But I don't think you should be cruel, and then never acknowledge that you were cruel, and never apologize. That's toxic behavior.

I also was not here for the drama. I haaaate drama, especially in YA contemporary novels. There is romance drama in this book - some sort of weird non-love-triangle love triangle. Like it's not really a love triangle but it also sort of is. You'd have to read the book to understand what I mean. But there are two guys and a girl, and the girl has at minimum made out with both of them, and even in the loosest sense, that's a love triangle. 

And there was other drama too, not just love triangle drama. So much angst and pettiness, and also the whole cameras rolling thing. The cameras were there to film the band on tour - both onstage and offstage. There was a lot of drama associated with this; the publicist cooked up a love triangle (Virginia, Logan, Cam), and she orchestrated breakups, fake kissing footage, fights, etc. So much drama. I was not interested in all this petty drama.

I think another red flag for me should have been the cameras thing. It was meant to be like KUWTK or something - basically following everyone around on the tour bus and also on tour. Reality TV, but with teenaged wannabe rockstars. I so dislike reality TV, I dislike cameras and doctoring "reality" to be more dramatic and interesting for fans, and I really don't like books centering around rock bands and rock stars and fame. Everything gets messy when fame and popularity is involved.

Did I mention that I didn't like the romance? It was messy. It was full of drama. It was angsty. It was painful to watch. Virginia wasn't a good person, relative to Cameron. She wasn't forgiving. I get that she didn't have to be, and he isn't entitled to her forgiveness, but I also think she should have been a little more humane, given what he had going on in, during that time. Death isn't exactly easy. Especially since Virginia had negative problems, it just made her seem like a spoiled princess. Not here for that.

I should have gone with my first instinct which was to skip this book.

Would I Recommend It:

I don't recommend this book, especially if you don't like drama and love triangles and pettiness and b****y heroines. Like I said about, this book wasn't for me. There were so many things about it that I don't usually like and definitely did not like in this case. But that's on me. This is a case of it's-not-you-it's-me, and that's okay.

Rating:

2 stars. Not for me, sadly. I'd heard of this book for months, since 2017, and I'd thought it would be something I might actually like, despite the obvious second-chance romance. I tried. Within 50 pages, I knew I wouldn't enjoy the book, and it never turned around. But hey, I don't usually like second-chance romances, or YA contemporary, or books with bands/music stars, or books with cameras rolling/reality TV, or books with drama... you get the idea.

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Review: Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones

Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones

Book Two of the Wintersong series

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: February 6, 2018

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her. 

When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands?

What I Liked:

Shadowsong wasn't what I expected. Where Wintersong was focused on Liesl and the Goblin King's connection and relationship, Shadowsong was focused on Liesl and her relationship with her brother Josef. I thought this book would focus more on the Goblin King, from what I'd heard last year. Instead, the Goblin King was barely mentioned in this book. I was disappointed in that regard, and disappointed in the lack of music and whimsy in this book. It was a dark book, which I respect and admire, but it was nothing like Wintersong and nothing like my expectations following the announcement of this sequel. 

This book takes place six months after Liesl leaves the Underground, and the Goblin King. She has been writing to her brother, desperate to hear how he is doing in Vienna, with his prestigious music instructor. One day he writes back, stating that the instructor is dead, and for her to come to Vienna. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Liesl is able to travel to Vienna with her sister Kathe. They find Josef, but Josef is no longer who he wants was. He is distant and disinterested. And there is something strange about Liesl's benefactors. All the while, the Great Hunt is roaming the earth, and the barrier between worlds is thinning. Liesl must travel back to the Underground and make a final stand as the Goblin Queen, in order to save her world, or theirs.

The author's note talks about Liesl's bipolar disorder (or "madness", as bipolar disorder was not understand during this time period). Possibly the best/most well-written aspect of this book is the darkness and madness that Liesl struggles with. Liesl is constantly wrestling with herself - is she mad? Or is she lost in her sanity? She feels her loneliness acutely, just as she feels guilt and shame over her brother's distance from her. I may not have enjoyed this book or reading about this darkness in Liesl, but I have to admit that all of it was well-written. 

The same can be said about Josef's "madness". This book is written mostly from Liesl's first-person POV, but with certain parts of a chapter written from Josef's third-person POV. There was another portion of certain chapters featuring a tale of old, which comes together at the end of the book. The story is significant though not immediately at first. This is also the case with Josef's state of mind.

I also liked the ending - it is an excellent ending and makes perfect sense to me. Any other ending would have been ruination to the series. I love how it wasn't all up to Liesl, and that other characters had important choices that made all the difference.

I didn't really care for this book, but there were aspects of the book that were very well-written and deserving of recognition. But for the most part, this book didn't work for me.

What I Did Not Like:

The first thing I will start with: this book is incredibly boring. I kid you not, I fell asleep around the 25% mark and woke up an hour later, and decided that I was done with the book. I ended up picking it up the next day and finishing it, but not without doing a little skimming here and there (which is something I hate doing and rarely do). I had such a hard time reading this book. It felt like nothing was happening, and even when things were happening, I just didn't care. There was a lot of self-introspection going on, and I wasn't all that interested.

Part of it definitely had to do with the writing. To me, the author's descriptiveness was excess and really hurt the story. There were paragraphs upon paragraphs describing this or that, in flowery writing and in my head I was thinking, get to the point! THOSE were the passages that I ended up skimming, as I mentioned above. I didn't need those fluffy descriptions. It was too much, and added to the rising boredom.

The story itself felt like it had no direction. What was the point? Find Josef... okay? Once she found Josef, I couldn't understand where the story was supposed to go. How was finding Josef significant to saving the world? The "saving the world" bit seemed so forced and cliche, especially when that exact phrase dropped in the story.

The other part was the lack of the Goblin King. I thought this sequel was pitched as readers getting to see more of the Goblin King and his journey above ground, or something like that? And yet... the Goblin King is present in literally the LAST SCENE of the book? I'm confused, fam. I feel deceived. And in any case, pitch or no pitch, the Goblin King wasn't in this book. HOW can you go from Wintersong, where the Goblin King was infused into every word of every page, to Shadowsong, where the Goblin King is an afterthought to everything?

Not that I was against Liesl trying to reach her brother and blah blah blah. It was interesting to see Liesl and Josef's relationship break down and come apart - they had a lot to work through. But for a series that is built on and around the Goblin King, how disappointing is it to find barely a trace of the "austere young man" - or even the wolf with no heart - within the pages of this installment.

So there is nothing about Liesl and the Goblin King's relationship - none of the burning, passionate, frantic romance, none of the thick, cloying emotions. In fact, there is barely any of the sweeping, living music that filled Wintersong. Yes, there is mention of music here and there, especially when Liesl catches up with Josef in Vienna - but just barely. All of the things that made Wintersong so intriguing - the Goblin King, the ruthless romance, the masterful music - was not present in Shadowsong.

In essence, I found Shadowsong to be a pale whisper following the crescendo that was Wintersong. 

Would I Recommend It:

I can't say I recommend Shadowsong, or Wintersong. Shadowsong is a disappointing follow-up to Wintersong - it almost felt unnecessary, and wrong. Like the author went the wrong way when pushing the series in one direction or the other. I didn't really like Wintersong, but I liked Shadowsong even less. It paled in comparison to Wintersong, and I didn't even find Wintersong that great.

Rating:

2 stars. It's a shame I didn't enjoy this book (nor its predecessor) because the covers of the books are just so gorgeous. I'm tempted to buy them anyway just to have them on my shelf but I didn't enjoy the books enough to spend money on them. (Note: I received a review copy, for free, courtesy of the publisher. Nothing illegal/pirating involved here, in case anyone was thrown by my statement about money.)

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Review: Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Book Three of the Kingmaker Chronicles

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: January 2, 2018

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Who is Catalia Fisa?

With the help of pivotal figures from her past, Cat begins to understand the root of her exceptional magic, her fated union with Griffin Sinta, and Griffin's role in shaping her destiny.

Only Cat holds the key to unlocking her own power, and that means finally accepting herself, her past, and her future in order to protect her loved ones, confront her murderous mother, and taking a final, terrifying step--reuniting all three realms and taking her place as the Queen of Thalyria.

What doesn't kill her will only make her stronger...we hope.

What I Liked:

Heart on Fire was not a fun ride for me. It wasn't all bad, but it definitely wasn't all good. I found myself more annoyed with the book than anything else, despite enjoying parts here and there. The book felt lackluster compared to the previous two books - in fact, I think it's safe to say that the series went straight downhill after book one. Book two was good but not as good as book one... book three lacked a lot of quality.

In this sequel novel, Cat and Griffin must defeat Cat's mother once and for all. But to do so, Cat must reach into her powers and control them, which she has yet to do. The kingdom of Thalyria is in her hands. If she can't find control, everything falls.

Things I liked... I enjoyed the romance. Griffin and Cat are a strong, solid pair, and this book proves that they are good for each other and good together. There are moments when Cat is afraid of how much the Gods interfered with their lives to direct their fates, but nothing ever comes between Griffin and Cat. I love how devoted they are to each other - it's absolutely not one-sided, not by far. Their trust and respect for each other really grows and strengthens in this book.

I adore Griffin, though he seemed to be a little one-dimensional in this book (i.e. only obsessed with Cat's safety and well-being). On the one hand, this is great theoretically... on the other hand, the man should have other priorities and interests. I love Griffin, with his strength, loyalty, and warrior/warlord overprotective, dominating nature, but I wish he had more to him besides being up Cat's a**. Boys today have hobbies like video games and sports. Griffin needs hobbies. I still love him. He's my favorite character of the series. But. One-dimensional.

The pacing of the story is good - I never got bored and I rolled right along to the end. I didn't necessarily like the story but I had no trouble getting through the book. So that's a plus! The author's writing has improved with each other. (I can't say the same about other things).

Cat is something I will talk about in the next section. I couldn't stand her. However, I will say that I'm glad she finally realized her potential and got over herself (girlfriend has been moping and wallowing for the entire series).

Hmmm, I thought there was more that I liked. I'll have to reconsider my rating. I didn't even really like the ending!

What I Did Not Like:

I could not staaaand Cat. I understand that the author was trying to portray her as feminist and strong and kickbutt and blah blah blah but Cat came across as very self-centered and self-involved in this book. Everything was about her, especially with the amount of wallowing and self-pitying she was doing. Throw in the fact that she is suuuuuper special on all fronts and we have a girl with a massive ego! Take it down a notch, sweetie! I don't like it when male protagonists have huge egos. I like it just as little when female protagonists have huge egos. 

And on that note -- why is it that Cat has every single special power conceivable? She has the powers of the Gods, just because? How is it that she is so magical and powerful and a special snowflake? I didn't understand this - it seemed like a lot of deus ex machina. Cat had absolutely no flaws when it came to her abilities - abilities kept manifesting and manifesting and again, it seemed to be a lot of deus ex machina. I wasn't buying the whole "hard to kill" thing. I wasn't buying the "child of the Gods" thing. It seemed like a lot of luck and a free-for-all when it came to Cat claiming abilities left and right.

Back on the whole egoistical thing - please explain to me why Griffin was so wholly and utterly obsessed with Cat and only Cat. The man lived and breathed for her - I don't understand why? It was beyond obsession - I mean, he was literally created for her therefore he is her puppet? Like I said in the previous section, men tend to have hobbies... why is Griffin only focused on Cat? Isn't he the one conquering realms, leading his (royal) family, etc.? He seemed so one-dimensional because his priority was only Cat, and that to me is FAKE. Not sexy.

Seguing into my next complaint - WHY is Cat the queen of Thalyria and HOW is she such. I don't understand. She literally does N O T H I N G for Thalyria (other than face her mother three times in the book and hesitating every single time and letting her mother the evil witch escape every time). Everyone else fights for Thalyria, dies for Thalyria, goes to the ends of the earth for Thalyria, but Cat... Cat lets everyone do the work for her. Instead, she drags Griffin on some merry quest to find a magic potion that will magic help her control her powers... meanwhile her powers are utter crap and when they find the potion, it doesn't work (you'll see what I mean). Cat. Is. Useless. The author elevated Cat to Queen (and put her over Griffin even though he is King) because that's the ~feminist~ way to write fiction these days -- bulls**t. Cat has no experience being a royal and no business being a queen. She. Is. Useless.

Let me repeat: U S E L E S S. 

The author has YET to address Kato's trauma from book two! Helloooo, the man went through rape and we don't see any kind of PTSD or lasting emotional or mental impacts? Did he just magically forget about the experience? There is no mention of it, and Kato pretty goes about his business as usual. This is TERRIBLE storytelling. You can't put a fairly "main" character through some serious trauma and NOT ADDRESS IT.

The ending was awful! It was one of those endings in which the war is over and la dee dah, the book is over! Everyone lives happily ever after! Never mind that they are uniting three realms, which is ALWAYS very peaceful and happy. Sure, Jan.

This book was a mess.

Would I Recommend It:

I actually do not recommend this book. I mean, don't leave the series hanging, if you've read books one and two. If you've only read book one, I would recommend stopping there. Book one is the best of the series. Book two is okay but not amazing. Book three is crap and a big mess. Of course, these are my opinions. I'm pretty upset that the series is concluding badly (for me), with this mess of a book. There was a distinct lack of quality, and I think that comes from a lack of experience and a desperate needs to force a "feminist" character with feminist themes into the book. Instead we have a Mary Sue that gets all the credit but does no work.

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. I tried! I really did. This series had so much potential. Now I'm glad I didn't preorder the book because I would have surely cancelled the preorder. I'm not sure I'll read anything by this author again - maybe? Maybe not.

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Review: Too Beautiful to Break by Tessa Bailey

Too Beautiful to Break by Tessa Bailey

Book Four of the Romancing the Clarksons series

Publisher: Forever Romance

Publication Date: September 26, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley 

Summary (from Goodreads):

A love of a lifetime . . .

Leaving Belmont Clarkson is the hardest thing Sage Alexander has ever done. From the moment they met, she knew Belmont was the one, and getting up close and personal with him on his family's epic road trip has taken her desire to a new, even hotter level. But there's no way she can go there---not without revealing secrets that could devastate them both.

Losing Sage is not an option. Belmont's heart is hers, has always been hers. He knows she's hiding something from him, but nothing will stand in his way of telling her just how much she means to him. Finding her is easy---saving her from her past could cost him everything.

What I Liked:

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it wasn't horrible, and I can see readers enjoying it. On the other hand, I didn't really like it. I love Tessa Bailey's books, and I have been a huge fan of hers for a long time. But this book just didn't do it for me.

This is the fourth and final novel in the Romancing the Clarksons series, and it features Belmont Clarkson and Sage Alexander. They have been circling each other during this entire series, but never together romantically. At the start of this book, it's just Belmont and Sage, since the other three Clarksons have taken detours during the trip, and will meet Belmont in New York for the Plunge. But Sage knows she can't stay with Belmont for this trip - she needs to take care of some business at home. Business that she knows Belmont won't like. She uses their dependency on each other as an excuse, but really, she needs to go back to her sad, terrible life in Sibley, Louisiana, so she can make things right. But Belmont will follow Sage to the ends of the earth, and he stops at nothing to help her when he learns of her situation. They both have a lot standing between them, but their love is stronger than they know.

Things I liked about this book: the characterization. I may not have loved Belmont like most readers of this series, but I can really appreciate how unique and different he is. Bailey has made him stand out completely, compared to the rest of her heroes of her various romance books, and in the romance world in general. Belmont is one of a kind. We can clearly see his character development in this story; he goes from putting Sage on a pedestal, to understanding her and loving her all the same. He overcomes some of his fears, and begins to understand his own self better.

The same can be said about Sage. She goes through a lot in this book, and she learns a lot about herself, and about Belmont. From start to finish, she is working towards a healthier, stronger relationship with Belmont. She also works through a lot of feelings she had stored up from her past, dealing with her parents and her childhood. She didn't have a traumatic or "terrible" childhood, but let's just say she had to come to terms with forgiving her parents, for a lot.

As always, Bailey writes a good romance. The chemistry between these two was always there, from the beginning of the series. This romance was interesting because Belmont and Sage clearly already love each other, but they were never together, so it's not a second-chance romance. They are a simmering fire together, and there is a pretty awesome part of the romance that I loved (but I won't say because it's something cool to discover). I wouldn't say this is one of Tessa's hottest books, but the chemistry is still good.

I liked how the book ended, for Belmont and Sage, and for the rest of the characters. We always expect a HEA from romance novels, but this book (and series) had a great HEA, and for everyone. This book was a quick read and while I didn't totally love it, I'm glad I gave it a chance.

What I Did Not Like:

If I'm being honest (which I always am!), I never really loved Belmont, like most readers I've seen. People were dying to read his story and I was just... kind of ambivalent? I didn't really care to read his story. The whole I'm-so-devoted-to-her thing that Belmont has going on was strange and sometimes a turn-off, because it was too intense. You'd have to read one of the books to know what I mean. Belmont is obsessed with Sage's well-being, her happiness, her family's situation. All of this sounds good on paper, but it's weird and a little unhealthy.

Cue my next complaint: how Belmont decides to take on Sage's burden himself (and the fact that she let him). The whole thing is that Sage goes home because her father is physically unwell, because his mining job is too demanding. So Sage goes to his employer (a mean, spiteful man) and offers to work in her father's place. And guess what Belmont does, when he shows up to Sibley? He offers to take Sage's place. I hated this. Keep in mind, Sage felt responsible because she borrowed money years ago from the man in order to get out of Sibley and to San Diego, and didn't pay him back. Her father took on her debt, as well as added his own, and he worked for the man in the deep of the mines.

It seemed incredibly unfair and unrealistic that Belmont would take Sage's place in the mines. And the fact that she let him? That's honestly ridiculous. I would never in 1000 years let a friend or a friend's brother do that (which was what Belmont was to her, at the time - not "boyfriend" yet). I definitely wouldn't let my boyfriend or husband do that. It's my responsibility, and no one would talk me out of it. Not even creepy Belmont who was obsessed with Sage's well-being. He'd have to suck it up and deal with the fact that I will pay off my and my family's debts. By myself. I would never endanger my partner like that, especially knowing he hates underground.

And to begin with - there were SOOOO many options such that Sage wouldn't have to take her father's place and work in the mines? Like, get a loan from a larger bank? From Sallie Mae? Bring in law enforcement or a legal team? Better yet - take your family and move? Or even better - pay your debts? It would be hard to leave family to suffer, but that's an option too (not a good one, obviously). My point is, there were so many better options than offering to take someone's place in the mines. And then there is the fact that Sage got a day's worth of training, before going into the mines. You need licenses and certifications to operate heavy equipment and machinery and whatnot... Sage couldn't have obtained any of that in a day. That just isn't plausible. And even if the owner were doing some illegal/shady business by letting Sage go into the mines with one day of training, that's when I would bring the law into it. You see how this makes no sense?

AND there is the fact that Belmont ended up working for MONTHS in the mines, while Sage went back to San Diego to do her wedding planning business thing. (I think? This wasn't entirely clear but that was the impression I got.) You're joking, right? I wouldn't let anyone replace me for any of my debt to begin with, but even if I did, I wouldn't just leave the man in my hometown and go? I would stay with him? This literally made no sense. 

In essence, nothing about the plot made sense. This whole plot could have been dismissed, had Sage paid the debts back, or called the police, or simply walked out of there and let her parents reap what they sowed (most of the debt came from her parents and their alcohol addiction). 

Would I Recommend It:

I don't really recommend this book. It's not a steamy, swoony love story. It's not even a satisfying story in general. The story frustrated me to no end and I couldn't connect with Belmont, or Sage. I liked how Tessa Bailey developed their characters and shed a lot of insight into their personalities and minds, but I just didn't connect. This romance novel didn't do anything for me. It wasn't enjoyable and I don't even know how I would recommend the book (like, in what situation or context). I feel like only fans of Tessa Bailey would try this book? It's not that compelling of a story if you're not a die-hard Bailey fan. Which I am. I'm so sad I didn't really like this book.

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. It's a shame. I started the review thinking that I would give this book a 3-star rating. But the more I think about it, the less I enjoyed the book. I wanted to like it, but I pretty much knew, as soon as Sage offered to take her father's place, that I wouldn't enjoy this book (because I knew that Belmont would offer to take hers, and the whole story was doomed from there). At least the story ends well... to a point. I'm glad this series is over because I don't think I would read the next book (if there were a fifth book).

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Review: Thirteen Rising by Romina Russell

After careful consideration, I'm dropping the book's rating. My rating did not match my review. - Alyssa

Thirteen Rising by Romina Russell

Book Four of the Zodiac series

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: August 29, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Romina Russell’s epic sci-fi fantasy series reaches its breathtaking conclusion with this fourth and final novel.

The master has been unmasked. Rho’s world has been turned upside down. With her loved ones in peril and all the stars set against her, can the young Guardian from House Cancer muster the strength to keep fighting? Or has she finally found her match in a master whose ambition to rule knows no limits?

What I Liked:

***SPOILER-FREE REVIEW*** 

(At least in terms of Thirteen Rising. Spoilers for Zodiac, Wandering Star, and/or Black Moon are possible.)

I'd been looking forward to reading Thirteen Rising since I found out that there would be a fourth book in the series. I'd found this out before Black Moon was published last year, and while I didn't love the idea of more waiting, I was on board with it after reading Black Moon. Black Moon was incredible and definitely my favorite of the series, but the ending was extremely cliffhanger-y. Thirteen Rising picks up fairly quickly after Black Moon ends, and the story takes off from there. I so wanted to love Thirteen Rising but sadly, I didn't. I didn't absolutely hate it either though.

In this final novel, Rho must face her fears, brave her grief, and fight to save the Zodiac from the master, who has been unmasked. Her loved ones are dead, in trouble, or pushed away by her decisions, and Rho is desperate, too desperate, hold on to something to fight for. Will she rise and fight, or will she bow and fall?

My liking of this book rose and fell like the sun rising and setting. In the very beginning, I was hooked and cheering for Rho. And then she pissed me off and I was frustrated. And then I felt like I could cheer her on again. And then she pissed me off some more. I had a love-hate relationship with the book, I suppose. 

I have to respect Rho for being consistent - she has been consistently impulsive and reckless in this series, and it gets her into all kinds of ridiculous trouble. Her mistakes cost her, but also cost her friends and family. She never learns, never listens, but she also finds her way, amid her mistakes. While I was frustrated with Rho, I could see her growing up in this book. And in the series in general.

I adored Hysan and his incredible brain. He is easily the most intelligent and clever character of this series. He doesn't trust anyone and holds so many secrets, but it's hard to fault him for that. He has a good heart and he is entirely too selfless, especially when it comes to Rho. I honestly think he deserved better, someone who didn't play with his emotions back and forth like a seesaw.

I wasn't pleased with the romance but I was happy to see that there was no love triangle in this book. The only ship is Hysan and Rho, and I liked them theoretically, but Rho kept not giving them a chance. I wanted their relationship to be so much healthier, but it wasn't. 

The story, for the most part, was interesting kept my attention. I couldn't wait to get to the end to see how things shook out. I admit, I was a little confused, as the climax drew closer and things started to pick up. But overall, the story was well-paced. The science-y aspect of the story is incredibly important in this book, with the central conflict of this book dealing with portals and Psy energy and taking down a powerful force. There is a lot going in this book!

The ending is very positive and tidy! It ends well for almost everyone. I love HEAs and many characters got theirs. I actually could see the author continuing the series, though I believe four books is the extent of Rho's story. Thirteen Rising wrapped up the series very well, and it is definitely a satisfying conclusion to the quartet.

What I Did Not Like:

I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm going to be vague, which might not be very helpful. Apologies in advance. I fully believe that if you've come this far (i.e. you've read Black Moon and those before), you should read Thirteen Rising. I had issues with the book, but that doesn't mean everyone will.

I honestly couldn't stand Rho, for most of the book. Sometimes, I wanted to stand and applaud and cheer her on. Most of the time, I wanted to shake her and possible slap her. I'm not a violent person! But Rho had me feeling irritated. She is stuck in her grief and shuts everyone out. But what's worse is that she pushes Hysan away, and hurts Hysan in many ways - specifically Hysan. Everyone else, she is distant with. But with Hysan, she lashes out. Hysan deserves none of her cruelty. She lies to him, tricks him, deceives him, and she knows she is wrong to do so, but she convinces herself that she is doing this for everyone's good. (Spoiler alert: she isn't doing it for everyone's good, and she ends up making a huuuuge miscalculation every time she lies to him or does something that he warns her not to do.) Rho doesn't like being told what to do, especially by Hysan, and yet, every time she does something that he asks or advises her not to do, SHE MAKES SOME BIG MISTAKES. The idea is to show that Rho is a strong female, right? And yet, she is wrong. Every time. 

Rho emotionally manipulates Hysan, and it is wrong. She acts like she loves him, and then she tells herself that she doesn't. She tells him that she doesn't. She pushes him away. She tells him she no longer feels the same way. But she wants his help, she wants his leadership, she wants his brilliant mind. This is so wrong because (1) she is lying to him, and to herself, (2) she is using him, and (3) she keeps changing her mind about needing him or not needing him. It's so wrong. Rho loves him but doesn't want to, she loves him but convinces herself that he doesn't trust her, she convinces herself that some other girl is trying to steal him... Rho needs to grow up. And she does, by the end of the book. But you'd think, after three books, she would be better than this by now.

I hated how Hysan forgave her and stuck with her. I really wanted to see Rho suffer for making him suffer. I never like unhealthy relationships and Rho poisons this one. Hysan is nothing but supportive and understanding, even when she lashes out and hurts him. He is always still be her side. But Rho is so bad for him. This relationship is so abusive and toxic and I hated what Rho made it. I hated how Hysan seemed like he was her pet, on a leash. Hysan is so much more than that, and I felt like he needed to break himself free and move on. 

I also hated how Rho never really feels accountable for any of the hurt she causes him. She feels an ounce of guilt here and there, but I wanted to see her suffer and hurt like she hurt him. Or, at the very least, apologize and grovel. Hysan barely got angry with her! This isn't healthy! She never apologizes! What, does she think she's too good for that? Look, guys. I'm all for female and empowerment and whatnot (which is very obviously what this author is going for - trying too hard, by the way). But part of being a strong and capable female is knowing when you've hurt someone (male or female), and owning up to it. Acknowledging and apologizing. Rho should have been groveling to that selfless boy who couldn't see past her, who was so patient with her. Honestly, if they were two people in real life, I would beg Hysan to get himself out of an abusive relationship. Emotional manipulation is just as abusive as physical abuse.

So I didn't enjoy the romance. The idea of Hysan and Rho together was awesome and I shipped them so much in Black Moon, but I didn't really want to ship them in this book. I kind of really wanted to see Hysan get himself out of the relationship and maybe starting something new with someone else. He deserved so much better - he deserved someone who didn't constantly question his feelings or trust, who didn't treat him like s**t but still expect him to be waiting for her.

Besides that, I felt a little disconnected from the story. Not engaged, maybe. I reread the ending of Black Moon to get myself back into the story, and I was so excited to start Thirteen Rising. Black Moon was my favorite book of the series - it was excellent. So I had high hopes for this conclusion novel. But somehow it felt underwhelming and not impressive. I wouldn't say I was bored, but perhaps just incredibly disengaged and not amused. I barely understood what was happening, in the final chapters. What were they trying to do? Ophiucus was relevant how?

And then the very ending - I loved the ending, don't get me wrong. But what next? What comes after? It just seemed like the story ended with the final "battle" scene, but nothing was addressed in terms of the state of affairs. The Zodiac? The leaders? The titles? I have so many questions about the structure of the Houses and what happens next. This is why I made the statement about there being more books in this series (but maybe not Rho's story), because the ending doesn't seem all there. Or maybe a nice epilogue would answer some of my questions.

Would I Recommend It:

Like I said before, if you've come this far, and read all of the previous books, you have to read Thirteen Rising. If you haven't read any of the books in the series, or have only read Zodiac, I wouldn't bother with the series. There is a love triangle in the first two books, and this final book is disappointing. Black Moon was awesome but definitely not enough for me to recommend reading the entire series. Try Kaufman and Spooner's Starbound series if you're looking for space-related books. Or The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid, or Starflight by Melissa Landers, or the Avalon duology by Mindee Arnett. This series gets maybe a 2.5/3-star rating overall.

Rating:

2 stars. I'm disappointed that I'm rating this book with a poor rating, but it definitely could have been worse. It's a fair ending to the series. I'm disappointed about the romance and Rho's behavior, but I'm sure other readers who are fans of the series might look past all of that and love the book. Overall, the series was only okay for me. I don't know if I'll read anything new by the author in the future, but I'm glad I stuck it out with this series and gave it a a fair shot.

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Review: Amid Darkness and Stars by Chani Lynn Feener

Amid Darkness and Stars by Chani Lynn Feener

Book One of the Xenith trilogy

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: July 18, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Delaney’s entire world is thrown into chaos after she is mistaken for Lissa Olena, an alien princess hiding out on Earth in order to escape an arranged marriage.

Kidnapped by the princess’s head bodyguard, Ruckus, and imprisoned in an alien palace, Delaney is forced to impersonate the princess until Olena can be found. If she fails, it will lead to an alien war and the eventual enslavement of the entire human race.

No pressure or anything.

Factor in Trystan, the princess’s terrifying betrothed who is intent on unraveling all her secrets, and her own growing feelings for Ruckus, and Delaney is in way over her head.

Get lost Amid Stars and Darkness, in this YA sci-fi romance from debut author Chani Lynn Feener.

What I Liked:

Dear Lord, please grant me the patience to deal with the Swoon Reads novels I keep subjecting myself to. Don't get me wrong, there are a few that I've really enjoyed (namely, Cindy Anstey's books). But so many of Swoon Reads' publications have been terrible (for me).

In this story, Delaney is mistaken for an alien princess and she is dragged onto a ship and flown across the galaxy to another planet. On the way, the bodyguard who kidnapped her realizes that she's isn't Lissa Olena. But the damage is done, because Lissa Olena has been expected back at the home planet for quite some time - rumor has it that Olena has been running from her politically arranged betrothal. Delaney will have to play the role of Olena, convincing everyone including her terrifying fiance Trystan that she is a conceited, selfish princess who cares about no one. If she doesn't, she risks the alliance being called off by the Rex (Trystan's father), and war breaking out between the Vakars and the Kints.

Okay. I don't have a ton of things that I actually liked, but there are a few. I didn't really care for any of the characters except Ruckus, who is a sweetheart. He is the commander of security and Olena's personal bodyguard, and he takes his duty very seriously. Everyone hated Olena and couldn't stand to be around her, but he did his job. Ruckus is an smart, loyal, protective alpha male who is also kind and attentive. And he has a charming side. I liked him a lot and was really on board with him being the love interest.

For the most part, I wasn't bored or disinterested in the story. The plot moved at a good pace and I wasn't in danger of setting this book aside. I read this one fairly quickly and was interested in finding out what would happen at the end. So I have to give the author points for that.

What else... I suppose the world-building is well-written. This book is set on a different planet, and there is a love of technological advancement on the Vakar planet. Also, everyone except Delaney is an alien, which is cool. There are a lot of neat scientific inventions and advancements in this book, though I would have loved to see more science behind them.

Aaaand we're moving on to dislikes.

What I Did Not Like:

I'm going to go a little out of order and all over the place with my dislikes. I'll start with the ones that bother me the most.

The romance is a tricky thing and overall I think it bothered me too much for me to love it. The good thing: Ruckus knows that Delaney is not Olena from early on. They fall for each other, and I believe Ruckus's feelings are genuinely for Delaney, because he was never in love or attracted to Olena. I'm all for Ruckus and Delaney and really shipped them. My problem is the fiance, Trystan. It was clear in the beginning that Olena and Trystan hated each other, and Delaney quickly grows to hate Trystan. And she falls in love with Ruckus. BUT. Towards the end, Trystan's feelings change. He takes a bullet for Delaney. He loses some of his cruel attitudes. He definitely feels... something for Delaney. And I definitely could see, in future books in this series, Delaney falling for him and this turning into a stupid, ridiculous love triangle. Never mind that Olena comes back into the picture in this book. Never mind that she and Ruckus take their relationship to high levels. Given some lines at the end of this book, I could definitely see the author having Delaney fall for Trystan, which makes me want to retch. Also, the acknowledgements of the book. "Team Trystan"? Stop. Please stop. He organized an assassination attempt to kill Delaney ("Olena"). He grabbed her and frightened her. None of this is forgivable (nor should it be). 

Oh and I hated the ending. It involves Trystan and it makes my blood boil. The ending would have been perfect, minus a few paragraphs. In some ways, I want to know what happens next because I hate being so angry about the ending. On the other hand, I think it's better for my sanity if I try and forget I ever read this book and avoid talk of the next two books.

I didn't really feel invested in any of the characters, except maybe Ruckus. All of the characters seemed a little one-dimensional? Like cardboard cutouts? I didn't connect with Delaney, though I felt bad for her situation. I feel like she didn't put up enough of a fight to get back home, initially and throughout the story. The war that would break out if it was discovered that Olena had fled? It would be between aliens... and entirely NOT Delaney's fault, or problem. Any logical human being would have found a way to escape. Stolen a ship, bribed someone (since she is now a princess), etc. There are ALWAYS options, and the author took the unrealistic one. If Delaney were half as brazen as she tried to act, she would have been sneaking around, trying to find a way out, in addition to playing princess. That seems logical to me. 

I hated Trystan. Who sets up an assassination attempt on you and then you forgive him? Well, I hope Delaney doesn't forgive him. She doesn't, in this, but since I'm convinced the author wants to make Trystan a legitimate love interest, I'm sure Delaney will forgive him in future books. Ewwwww, love triangles.

Can I go on a mini rant? Why are so many Swoon Reads books full of love triangles? I understand the workings of the Swoon Reads community - it's very different from the contracted work that you see announced on Publishers Weekly - but why is it that so many of the manuscripts spit out love triangles? Especially with so many readers not interested? This book is getting a low rating from me mostly because of the love triangle (though not entirely so). Do better, Swoon Reads!

Would I Recommend It:

I do not recommend this book to anyone, even if you don't mind love triangles. It's not the most impressive space-y science fiction novel in YA lit out there, and it's not an impressive debut. I want to say that I expect better from Swoon Reads but then, I really don't. Skip this book and save yourself the frustration. Especially since this book is part of a trilogy, and we all know how YA authors love to do stupid things with romances in trilogies!

If you want to read a space-y science fiction YA book, try the Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, or the Across the Universe trilogy by Beth Revis, or The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid, or the Alienated trilogy by Melissa Landers, or the Starflight duology by Melissa Landers. Literally so many better YA science fiction books out there!

Rating:

1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars. Maybe I should round down? I think I'm being generous for no reason. Well, there are a few reasons above. This book wasn't all bad, but I won't be remembering it fondly. Heck, I won't be remembering it at all. Hopefully.

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Review: Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

Book Six of the Rhymes with Love series

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: April 25, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lord Rimswell is a man of honor and absolutes. If he says something is impossible, it is. Yet his life of right and wrong is turned upside down when he finds himself in a compromising situation with the most unyielding, yet maddeningly beautiful, woman in London. If only he had not given in to the irresistible temptation to kiss her. Now he must marry her.

Miss Roselie Stratton is the very definition of impossible—headstrong, outspoken, and carrying a reticule of secrets that could ruin more than her reputation. Kissing Brody is hardly the most ruinous thing Roselie has ever done as a secret agent for the Home Office…nor will she let a marriage of convenience stop her from continuing her work. Little does Roselie realize that she has underestimated Brody's resolve to keep her safe—for he has hopelessly fallen in love with her and is determined to do the impossible by stealing her heart in return.

What I Liked:

I am a huge fan of this series, and the author, and some of my favorite historical romance novels are from this series. But this book was an utter disappointment (for me). 

Roselie Stratton has been out for four Seasons and she's still unmarried, but she prefers it that way. She is an unofficial agent of the Home Office, a fact known to very few. Not even Brody, Lord Rimswell, actualy Home Office agent, her childhood friend knows. But he has met Roselie a few times when she was in disguise. When he finds out that it's Roselie under the mask and wig, he is furious. Who knew that the impertinent girl next door grew up to be a meddling, impossible unofficial agent in disguise? When the investigation in Lord Ilford's crimes takes a dangerous turn, Brody tries to stop Roselie from interfering further. Especially when they forced to marry under hasty circumstances. One of them - or both - is going to get hurt, but not if Roselie and Brody can work together to discover the truth about Ilford and his past.

So we have protagonists Brody and Roselie, both of whom were present in the previous books in this series. I adored Brody in the previous books (and I can't really remember what I thought of Roselie - no surprise there). Check the dislikes section for my full discourse on Roselie (spoiler alert: I did not like her). But Brody - well, I adored him.

Brody (or Bradwell, which is very sturdy name) was the second son of a baron, but after his older brother Poldie died in the war, Brody become baron. Brody never really wanted to be Lord Rimswell, especially with his duties with the Home Office. Brody isn't really a rake or a  scoundrel, but he is charming and wicked in his own way. He's rakish without actually being one, which is fun to follow. I love his sense of loyalty and responsibility and duty - as well as his passionate side. Brody is a rare all-around good guy, without being a complete snob.

I loved seeing all of the cameos, from Lavinia, Louisa, Harriet, and their husbands (Tuck, Piers, Roxley). Harriet is one of my favorite heroines of the series, and I love the (small) role she played in this book. Other secondary characters were lovely - Miss Minx (hahahaha), Lady Wakefield, even the dowager Lady Rimswell.

This story was fairly engrossing, though I did struggle at times when it got a little slow and boring. It took me by surprise when, halfway through the book, Brody and Roselie were caught in a compromising situation and immediately got married. Usually the hero and heroine find themselves in a compromising situation but never get caught, so that took me by surprise. But I liked this twist, because it threw off the non-balance between the two, and really forced them to get closer.

I really wish I liked the romance but overall, I didn't, and it circles back to my dislike of Roselie. The romance had its steamy times but nothing remarkable.

Overall, this book wasn't awful, but I'm struggling to come up with more things that I genuinely liked. Brody, most of the secondary characters, the one or two steamy scenes, the story in general. But the female protagonist ruined my overall enjoyment of the book.

What I Did Not Like:

Let me first say that sometimes when I find myself not connecting with or liking a female protagonist, I tell myself to put myself in her shoes, and imagine myself in the story as her. Well, I tried that with Roselie. And I failed to agree with a single one of her decisions (except marrying Brody, maybe). 

Where do I even start... from the beginning of this book, Roselie rubbed me the wrong way. She is masquerading in super sexy clothing, a mask, and a wig, trying to recover stolen information, or find out information about this or that relating to the nefarious Lord Ilford. This alone is not plausible and and had me calling BS. I already disliked her for putting her name and reputation, and her family's name and reputation, in danger. She is very selfish, and she could have (and should have) gotten caught. Luckily when she did get caught, it was by Brody.

Anyway, as the story went on, Roselie became more and more "impossible", to quite Brody. Trust me, I know stubborn and hard-headed (I am stubborn and head-headed). But this girl is stubborn and hard-headed to a fault. She refuses to let anyone tell her ANYTHING, whether it's for her own good or not, whether it makes perfect sense or not, whether it's to protect her or her family/loved ones.

To be honest? One of the things I absolutely hate about this new crop of historical romance heroines is their complete disregard for their reputation and their family's reputation. There are so many new HR books with heroines who are "bada**" and daring and assertive - feminist, I suppose. But it just does not work for me, for several reasons. (1) It's historically inaccurate (well, to the degree that these authors are portraying). (2) It's kind of irritating (again, to the degree that the authors are portraying). (3) The heroines, to me, come across as incredibly stupid?

Take Roselie - she refuses to listen to Brody when he tells her that she should do this or that. Like, she refuses on the principle that he can't tell her what to do. What kind of backwards, dumba** logic is that? You're so proud, but you can't take it down like sixty notches when someone tells you that you are literally a dead woman with a target on her back?

I wanted to strangle Roselie so many times. I mean, if I knew her in real life, I might have. Her "assertiveness" really grated my nerves. Don't get me wrong, I love assertive heroines and I think it's great when they stand up for themselves, but Roselie was so irritating, and pig-headed, and stupid. She's one of those characters that thinks she is so smart, but she came across as incredibly stupid. And selfish. So, so selfish. 

I couldn't even connect with her! I thought for sure I'd at least be able to connect with her as she fell for Brody. But I felt nothing towards her. She seemed more of a flat, static character, especially compared to Brody. I don't really see what was so fascinating and interesting about her (other than her sexy, breast-padded alter ego Asteria, whom Brody was super attracted to, without knowing it was Roselie). 

I didn't feel anything for Roselie (other than sheer irritation, wrath, and loathing), and it made it hard for me to ship the romance. I adored Brody and I love that he found love, but I really just did not care about the romance. Once you hate the female protagonist, it's really hard to like the book. The romance seemed so flat though, regardless. Besides lust, I really didn't get a lot in terms of emotions or feelings (mostly from Roselie's side). Really it seemed like she was more interested in thwarting him, running from him, defying him, going against his will... yeah, that doesn't make for a very swoony romance. I don't think I swooned once. 

Anyway, I'm done. This book pissed me off in several different ways and all of them connect to Roselie and her stupid, stupid stubbornness. The short of it: Roselie had no respect for Brody, on any level, and she was incredibly selfish and stupid.

Would I Recommend It:

I most certainly do not recommend this book, which pains me to say, because I love this series. Try If Wishes Were Earls or The Knave of Hearts, or maybe even The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane (though Louisa bothered me, in that book). Better yet, try an entirely different author. You know who does assertive, "feminist"-type heroines who don't irritate the s**t out of me? Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Hoyt, Caroline Linden. One of the sexiest and most feminist thing a female protagonist can do is treat her man with respect.

Roselie... did not do that with Brody. 

Rating:

2 stars. I almost can't believe I'm giving a historical romance novel such a low rating! Historical romance novels are usually my "guilty pleasures". This one was supposed to lift me out of a small rut I've been in, but it has sunk me further into the rut. Honestly I kind of hope this series is over, because I don't want to be disappointed again!

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