Review: A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

Book One of the Lady Sherlock series

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society.  But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London. 

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

What I Liked:

When I first saw this, I was curious, because I've read some of Sherry Thomas's books in the past, and really enjoyed them. She writes adult historical romance, Young Adult fantasy, and now alternate historical fiction! Such a wide range of fiction to write. And Thomas has not let readers down, in any genre or age level!

I'm counting this as my Pili-Pushed recommendation of August! To see all of my Pili-Pushed reviews, click on the "Pili Pushed" tag on my blog!

Charlotte Holmes has a brilliant mind and excellent memory, and it has always set her apart. She isn't interested in catching a husband and maintaining a household - she wants independence. To achieve her independence, she does something ghastly, and she runs away, as a result. Now on the streets, Charlotte is faced with the harsh reality of being a woman with no references, no experience, and no education. But when three deaths occur, two of which involving her sister and father, Charlotte knows she must do something to cast the blame elsewhere. She knows her family is innocent. Sherlock Holmes is born, a mastermind problem-solver, and it is up to Holmes to solve the mystery of the three murders.

I liked Charlotte - she's so clever and observant, it's almost bizarre! At first I was furious at The Thing she did that turned society against her - how could she do something like that? But I came to really respect her decision, and who she involved, and why it needed to happen. I wish it had happened some other way, but you have to admit, it was... well thought-out. Charlotte - Sherlock - is brilliant and thinks of just about everything. At times I wondered if she felt human emotions like everyone else, but Charlotte is just as human as anyone else.

Other characters worth mentioning - Mrs. Watson, Inspector Treadles, Lord Ingram, Livia. Mrs. Watson takes in Charlotte as a lady's maid, but she's more than meets the eye. In fact, Charlotte doesn't know certain things about Mrs. Watson until the very end of the book. Inspector Treadles is put in charge of investigating the Sackville death (one of the three), the one not indirectly related to the Holmes family. Treadles is quite intelligent in his own regard, and I love how sweet he is with his wife. Lord Ingram is a rich and powerful lord, married to a haughty, cold woman who is estranged from him, and has two children. Lord Ingram is, well, Lord Ingram. He is the silent, intelligent type, very clever but one that has a quiet yet forceful presence. Livia is Charlotte's older sister, who, at twenty-seven, is a spinster in her parents' home. I liked Livia, though I liked Charlotte more.

This book is written in third-person, and we get to read from Charlotte's, Treadles', and Livia's POV. I liked Charlotte's the most, but as the book went on, I began to really enjoy Treadles'. Livia's felt the most useless to me, throughout the whole book.

The mystery was so well-written! I wasn't quite sure of anything, until the reveal. Thomas has a way of twisting the story so that you're never sure who did what, no matter how sure you think you are. It certainly kept me reading! The more interesting parts of the mystery came around the 40% mark and beyond.

There is a tiny smidgen of romance, but it's weird and complicated, and I really can't see how Thomas will make that work. Part of me really doesn't want Thomas to make it work. But then, Charlotte and her man are really great together. They've known each other for years, and while they've never done anything with each other, they've had this simmering chemistry between them for years. I want it to work out but... it's weird. How is Thomas going to make it happen?

This book wrapped up perfectly, with the mystery solved and the correct people taken blame. I know this is book one of a series, but I'm honestly curious as to how this will be a series. I'm glad though, because I want to know how the barely-there romance is going to work out. Oh, and I'd love to see more mysteries solved by Sherlock Holmes!

What I Did Not Like:

I'm going to be honest -- the first, let's say, one-third of this book was frustratingly slow, and boring. I struggled to get past that initial one-third, and it took me several days to do so. Once I did, I flew through the rest of the book.

Obviously I'm going to complain about the romance -- it's so disappointing in a way! I don't know how Thomas is going to let it work out, because there really is no good ending. Unless everyone dies. Or key people. Ugh! Frustrating.

Would I Recommend It:

I do like this book a lot, and there is very little "big stuff" to complain about, so I do recommend it. However, it might be a good idea to binge-read the series, if you're like me and would prefer a romance easier on the heart? I have no idea how Thomas is going to let that work out, but I'm sure binge-reading the series will be much less painful than waiting for each book to publish to see how things go. 

Of course, if you couldn't care less about romance, and you're 100% in it for the mystery, then READ THIS! It's such a great historical fiction + mystery novel! Gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes for the win.

Rating:

4 stars. My complaints seem relatively tiny compared to how much I liked the book overall. Hopefully the series in general will work out nicely (in terms of those few complaints I had). I am looking forward to reading the next book! (In Fall 2017, unfortunately...)

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: October 18, 2011

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Copy borrowed

Summary (from Goodreads):

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. 

What I Liked:

I've had this book on my TBR for a long time, but never pushed myself to read it. A loooong time ago, I read Shiver and Linger by this author, but didn't like Linger so I never finished the series. I haven't read her Raven Cycle series either, though I do want to binge-read that series in the future. The Scorpio Races seemed like a good place to try again, since it's a standalone, and my good friend Pili read it recently and liked it a lot. So, I'm counting this as my July Pili-Pushed novel!

The Scorpio Races happen on the island every year. Every year, riders choose a water horse, train for a month, and race. Puck Connolly lives with her older brother and younger brother, getting by meagerly. When Gabe (her older brother) tells them he's leaving the island, Puck decides to enter the Races, something no female has ever done. Sean Kendrick has won the Races four times. But winning isn't what he cares about - he loves the ocean and the horse he rides, Corr. But both he and Corr are owned and have no freedom. Freedom is what Sean wants, and this year's Races might be the way to get it.

This book is told in alternating first-person POVs, so we get to experience both Sean and Puck's thoughts and feelings. I liked both perspectives a lot, which doesn't typically happen with me! Another thing that I liked about the narrative was the length of the chapters - the chapters were fairly short. Usually you find fifteen to twenty page chapters in YA books? These chapters were three or four pages long, most of the time. Which I thought was very different and cool!

I liked Puck - or Kate, though she prefers Puck. She's learned to take care of herself and her brothers long ago, after her parents were killed by the ferocious water horses. When Puck enters herself in the Races, she enters her horse, Dove, who isn't a water horse. There are so many complexities to Puck that I liked discovering and figuring out.

If Puck was complex, then Sean was a maze of intricacies. Sean is a man of few (no) words, and yet his presence is enormous. He's a four-time Champion, but he's also something of a water horse whisperer. No one can train the beasts and keep them under control like Sean. Sean works for Malvern's stables, who practically owns him. Sean seems to only have one weakness - Corr, the blood-red stallion that is Malvern's, that Benjamin Malvern lets Sean ride every year.

The pair meet after Puck decides to ride in the Races. Many people of the island do not want Puck anywhere near the Races. It is Sean that sways the people to let her sign up, and Sean that gives her tips about the Races, and Sean that helps her and her horse train. 

In a way, this book was completely about the Races, and yet not about the Races at all. It's about Puck's growth from a directionless girl to a stubborn rider who fights for what she wants. It's about Sean's fight for his freedom and his horse, both of which are more important to him than the Races. Sean's journey was more interesting to me, and more heartbreaking. 

Sean is the brooding, mysterious boy that everyone is curious about, that everyone loves and everyone stares at. He's the one that everyone knows and is in awe of. Puck is the girl that no one wants in the Races, the poor girl whose house is about to be taken away. I love this story of two unlikely characters finding their way.

So there is romance, a subtle and barely-there type. This book takes place over the course of a month or so, but it doesn't feel that way (it feels like days). It felt like Puck and Sean barely knew each other, but they trained together a lot, and days blurred together. I liked seeing the subtle romance, though it felt a little too barely-there at times.

The Races themselves happened in the last twenty pages or so, so it felt like it was over before it began. But like I said, the Races were both everything and nothing in this story. The Races were short but heart-stopping, and the outcome was both unsurprising and shocking.

Overall, I liked the book. I do have some complaints, but I can see the appeal of this book. Books centered around horses typically aren't my thing, but I enjoyed this one!

What I Did Not Like:

I kept hearing about the beautiful romance in this book, and so I think I had pretty high expectations... the romance is subtle and slow-moving, and it's barely there... I guess I was expecting fireworks? So I was a tiny bit disappointed. But hey, those were my high expectations, not the book/author's fault.

The pacing of this book is soooooooo slow. Like, incredibly so. The first one hundred pages of this book were so so so boring. The writing of this book is great but it really adds to the slowness in the beginning. Once I started getting into the Puck/Sean interactions, I started to get more invested in the story. But this book moves very slowly, in pacing.

In terms of actual time, it's very deceptive. I think at least a month passes, but it honestly felt like a week or two. I don't think the author did the best job of conveying the passing of time. But that could be just me!

Would I Recommend It:

If you've been a part of the YA world of literature, I'm sure you've heard of this book, or at the very least, this author. I can see why people love this book, and why there is so much hype surrounding the author. I did like this book and I would recommend the book if you're like me and had been wanting to read it - it's worth it, if you were already curious! 

But if you weren't really curious... meh. To me, it was magical and life-changing like I expected. Part of me expected epic action (I saw somewhere that someone compared this book to The Hunger Games? HOW?!), and while I wasn't disappointed that there wasn't any, I wasn't particularly thrilled with the really slow pace of the book. Again, this wasn't magical and life-changing for me. It was good, but not amaaaazing.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I enjoyed this book and am glad I finally made myself read it! It was worth sating my curiosity. I can't see myself rereading it for any reason, or singing its praises from the rooftops, but I do see why so many people flipped out (in a good way!) over how awesome they thought the book was.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: Vicarious by Paula Stokes

Vicarious by Paula Stokes

Book One of the Vicarious series

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: August 16, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Winter Kim and her sister, Rose, have always been inseparable. Together, the two of them survived growing up in a Korean orphanage and being trafficked into the United States. 

Now they work as digital stunt girls for Rose’s ex-boyfriend, Gideon, engaging in dangerous and enticing activities while recording their neural impulses for his Vicarious Sensory Experiences, or ViSEs. Whether it’s bungee jumping, shark diving, or grinding up against celebrities at the city’s hottest dance clubs, Gideon can make it happen for you, for a price.

When Rose disappears and a ViSE recording of her murder is delivered to Gideon, Winter won’t rest until she finds her sister’s killer. But when the clues she uncovers conflict with the neural recordings her sister made, Winter isn’t sure what to believe. To find out what happened to Rose, she’ll have to untangle what’s real from what only seems real, risking her life in the process.

What I Liked:

What a twisted, mind-blowing novel! Part sci-fi, part thriller, this book was exceptional from start to finish. There were so many layers to the story, and to the protagonist, and I couldn't stop reading. I can't really pick out a "favorite" Stokes book, but this one is in my top two!

Winter and her older sister Rose have escaped the orphanage in South Korea, and human trafficking in L.A. Three years after Gideon took her and her sister away from the trafficking, Winter has adjusted well to her life. She suffers from PTSD, but she's better. Gideon has created technology to capture neural impulses, which enables the ViSE (Vicarious Sensory Experiences) user to experience the physical feelings of something, like bungee jumping, or kissing another person. Winter has been doing stunts like jumping off bridges, and running from the police. Rose does something a little different... and one night, she doesn't return home. A ViSE is found in their home, and it's of Rose dying. Winter is determined to find the killer, but the clues are strange. Something isn't adding up, and Winter isn't sure what is real and what is not.

I'm going to be honest - I wasn't sure I wanted to read this one. I've seen the author talk about the conditions that Winter struggles with in this book, such as PTSD, and more. I don't usually like to read books with "tough issues". Books dealing with addiction, rape, prostitution, and so on... I prefer not to read (it's too real, and I'm all about the not-so-real escapism!). But I've read Stokes' other six books, so I figured why not keep going (especially when the publisher drops a galley in your lap. Thank you, Tor!). I'd also like to thank my friend Pili, as this is my June '16 Pili-Pushed choice!

Let's start with Winter. On the outside, she seems like an intense, somewhat cold/distant Korean girl. On the inside, she doesn't like to be touched, and she represses a lot of bad memories from her past. She and her sister have had terrible pasts, going from an orphanage to human trafficking, used as sex slaves. Winter is living with PTSD, and she blacks out and sleep-walks and represses memories subconsciously, but she's been doing really well recently. She lives with her sister, and Gideon (her sister's ex-boyfriend, like a brother to Winter). Jesse Ramirez works for Gideon, and he's Winter's friend. He and Winter record stunts for Gideon.

My heart broke for Winter over and over. At one point, I honestly wanted to stop reading. This really isn't the type of book I personally like to read, especially since Winter's conditions were brought so heavily to the forefront of the book. BUT. It's incredible how well-written everything about Winter's condition and life is, how PTSD affects her in every aspect of living. It blew me away and broke my heart, and I have got to tip my hat to Stokes. What an incredible and powerful story to write.

While this book shows a lot of Winter's struggle with PTSD, it also follows her struggle to find out what happened to her sister. After seeing her sister murdered from a ViSE, Winter is determined to find out more. She and Jesse visit various clubs that Rose used to go to, and they try to hunt down clues and follow Rose's original recordings, before her death. As far as mysteries go, this one was a good one.

I was in NO way prepared for the ending, the final twist. I knew that certain things had to do with the ending and what really happened to Rose... but the way it happened, how Stokes brought it about... wow. My mind was totally blown. I think I had chills at one point. I was and wasn't expecting it - mostly wasn't. I wasn't expecting that magnitude of how-crap-ery. I have no idea HOW Stokes is going to top that twist, in book two!

There is romance in this book! It's not terribly important to the book, but it becomes a bigger part towards the ending, both in a good and bad way. I wanted to shake Winter just a little, at the very end, but then I reminded myself that she had every right to react the way she did. In general, the romance is sweet. And a little sad - Winter had and has a lot going on, but I felt bad for Jesse. It's complicated! As is practically everything in this book.

I am zipping my lips! There are a ton of things that I feel like I could accidentally spoil, which I don't want to do. You'll WANT to have your mind blown by this book and it's ending, trust me. Maybe it's just me but I was so bug-eyed, reading the rest of the book after the big climactic twist. 

I didn't mention anything about the world-building or genres - this novel as science fiction and thriller elements. Science fiction, because of the ViSE tech, which is pretty cool. It's kind of like virtual reality? But not really? Basically you can experience the real feeling of bungee jumping while viewing it, but it feels real because someone actually did it, and recorded his/her neural impulses as he/she was doing it. If that makes sense? And then this book is somewhat of a thriller too. 

Overall, I liked this book. Yes, I'm not a fan of YA books with such a big tough-issue focus. They're just not for me, and yet, I still enjoyed this book very much. And a high-five to Stokes for the diverse characters who didn't seem like they were simply filling an archetype/role!

What I Did Not Like:

Ehh, little things niggled at me, nothing to make me feel negatively towards the book. I've already mentioned that I'm generally not a fan of books with tough issue concepts - but I still liked this book, and thought Stokes did a great job writing the "tough issue" aspects. 

I didn't like that Winter didn't apologize (or get the chance to apologize) at the very very ending. This won't make sense to you since you may not have read the book, but I personally think the author could have ended the book with a short scene including Winter apologizing to a certain someone. She NEEDS to do this, and I really hope she does, in book two. Part of me wants to make excuses for her behavior because she's been through a lot, but then I also remember that she is a teenage girl and overreacted. A lot. Issues or not, she crossed a line. But I'm hoping this is addressed in book two. 

Just a general thought - I hate it when a guy messes up and has to beg and grovel and basically die before the girl forgives him, but if the girl messes up, she doesn't have to apologize or grovel. This is wrong, and romanticizes the idea of relationships. Boys do NOT magically forgive you without you apologizing or talking about it. Nope. This is a pet peeve of mine in fiction, both in YA and adult novels. It drives me crazy!

Would I Recommend It:

I'd recommend this book! It's worth the read, especially since it felt like there was a part of the story that would appeal to this crowd or that crowd. Sci-fi fans, thriller fans, tough-issue fans, etc. The issues I had with this book are fairly minor (ignore the fact that the previous section seems long), and pretty much specific to me/my preferences.

Rating:

4 stars. I'm excited about the sequel for several reasons - I need a sequel to this crazy ride, and it's the conclusion to the series! I do love this duology trend in YA. Less annoying waiting and forgetting-all of-the-details-of-the-series-by-the-time-the-next-book-publishes!

Author Blog | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: June 11, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Copy won from a giveaway

Summary (from Goodreads):

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past.

What I Liked:

First, I would like to apologize to the author, because I won this book in one of her giveaways around the time of the publication of the book. This was just about three years ago. No one is required to review or even read the books they win in giveaways, but I still feel a little bad knowing that I won the giveaway and read it three years later, while someone else could have won and might have read it immediately. But it is what it is! I liked the book (which is actually pretty surprising!).

This is my May Pili-Pushed read! To see any of my Pili-Pushed reads, see the "Pili-Pushed" tag at the bottom of my blog. Also, me winning the author's giveaway in no way influenced my opinion of the story. I liked it because it was great!

I honestly would not even know where to begin when trying to describe this novel. This books starts with Annaliese making her way over to a girl by a trailer. Annaliese has no recollection of where she is, or was. As it would turn out, Annaliese is the missing girl on Dateline, who was missing for a year. A year ago, Annaliese walked out of a forest covered in blood and screaming, and then she vanished. A year later, Annaliese is back, but with no memory. Annaliese does not seem like Annaliese though. She must rely on her the little memories that come back to slowly piece together what really happened a year ago, and why she's back.

What a strange book! And incredibly creepy. The first couple of passages were bewildering. I couldn't get a good feel of what was happening, but I was hooked. 

This book is deceptively contemporary, and paranormal, and horror-ish. It's heavily paranormal, though I can't really say why without going into spoiler-y things. It's somewhat horror-y, or maybe that's just me and my scaredy cat self. The book is CREEPY. When you find out why Annaliese isn't exactly Annaliese, and what she's been up to... *shivers*

Despite this creepy stuff, I liked Annaliese (I'm going to call her Anna from now on). Anna isn't a kickbutt fighter like we see in so many YA novels. She's quiet and contemplative, and she has her quirks. She also has no recollection of anything, so she's a clean slate. But she's still a teenage girl. She doesn't remember anything, and this frustrates her parents, which frustrates Anna. She feels trapped and smothered, especially by people she doesn't know.

We meet several peers of Anna's fairly quickly. Eric, who is flat-out creepy. Logan, who shoulders some guilt and blame relating to what happened to Anna (not his fault though). Dex, the next-door neighbor who knows a lot more than he wants to know, who is quiet and understanding. Gwen, who was Anna's best friend. Kayla, who is mean.

There is a little romance in this book! I found it sweet and charming. At first it seemed to have caught on very quickly, but I think there was lust first and then the emotional response. Which I'm fine with. I like the pair (Anna and someone else...). No love triangle!

I don't want to say anymore about this book, for fear of ruining surprises. The author weaves in twist and turn and surprise with ease. We don't get to know everything up front, but I love how the author reveals information slowly but sensibly.

So, overall, I liked this book! I see that there are lots of mixed reviews for this book, but I'm glad I liked it. It was creepy and haunting - two things I generally don't go for - but definitely intriguing and it had me hooked. And the ending was weird! A little open-ended, but not really. It wrapped up pretty well. A very good job by the author!

What I Did Not Like:

I can't think of anything specific! I liked this book but didn't love it, so it's getting four stars (and not five stars). It was a good read!

Would I Recommend It:

If you like some creepy fiction, I definitely recommend this book! It's not really scary (unless you're me and are afraid of everything and anything remotely scary), but it has horror-ish aspects woven into the story. The paranormal is both very present and barely there. If you like a good suspense-type novel to read (it's not a mystery book though), this is a good one!

Rating:

4 stars. I'm glad I tried this book! I had the copy for three years without picking it up. Thank you, Pili, for pushing me in the direction of this one!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication Date: September 13, 2011

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Gift from a friend

Summary (from Goodreads):

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices plastered on lampposts and billboards. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. 

Within these nocturnal black-and-white striped tents awaits an utterly unique, a feast for the senses, where one can get lost in a maze of clouds, meander through a lush garden made of ice, stare in wonderment as the tattooed contortionist folds herself into a small glass box, and become deliciously tipsy from the scents of caramel and cinnamon that waft through the air. 

Welcome to Le Cirque des Rêves. 

Beyond the smoke and mirrors, however, a fierce competition is under way--a contest between two young illusionists, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood to compete in a "game" to which they have been irrevocably bound by their mercurial masters. Unbeknownst to the players, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. 

As the circus travels around the world, the feats of magic gain fantastical new heights with every stop. The game is well under way and the lvies of all those involved--the eccentric circus owner, the elusive contortionist, the mystical fortune-teller, and a pair of red-headed twins born backstage among them--are swept up in a wake of spells and charms. 

But when Celia discovers that Marco is her adversary, they begin to think of the game not as a competition but as a wonderful collaboration. With no knowledge of how the game must end, they innocently tumble headfirst into love. A deep, passionate, and magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

Their masters still pull the strings, however, and this unforeseen occurrence forces them to intervene with dangerous consequences, leaving the lives of everyone from the performers to the patrons hanging in the balance. 

Both playful and seductive, The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern's spell-casting debut, is a mesmerizing love story for the ages.

What I Liked:

I knew I would love this book. Nearly five years ago, I got it for Christmas from a friend, who knew I really wanted to read the book (it had published just months before). When I got the book though, it was one of those experiences when you FINALLY get a book that you've been anticipating for ages, and suddenly, you just can't do it. I've tried to read this book for nearly five years, but I just could not do it. I'm counting it as my April 2016 Pili-Pushed novel, as Pili provided the push I needed to experience this brilliance! And what a brilliant book it was.

This review is probably going to be extremely vague and short, because honestly, I don't know how to explain myself when it comes to this book! It needs no explanation - it just needs to be read.

The night circus appears without warning, all of a sudden. It is only open at night, and instead of one massive tent, there are many tents. But there is something far more mysterious and magical at work. Illusionists Marco and Celia are bound to compete in a game about which they were not told much, in which they continually create illusions that enhance the circus. They are the creators, but they are watched by their masters. But the masters do not expect the pair to meet each other, and fall in love in a dizzying, seductive way. But only one can win - and at what cost?

I couldn't even begin to start describing what I liked about this book. The world-building, the setting, the magic, the illusions. The primary characters, the secondary characters, the character development. I am slightly disappointed in myself for waiting so long to read the book!

Celia and Marco are technically our two protagonists, but there are a few others that get their own chapters and play important roles as well. Celia was trained in the illusionist ways in a brutal and punishing way, by her father. Marco was trained in an isolationist, studious way, surrounded by books and knowledge. Two different sets of training, two very skilled illusionists. Neither were supposed to meet, but both are very clever and figure it out (one much faster than the other!).

Marco is the swooniest! In a subtle way though - his charm and his swooniness isn't over the top or full of swagger or arrogance. Marco is quiet and reserved and sweet. Celia is also charming, and very clever. Both of these two are very intelligent, and so romantic in a subtle way. Everything about their romance and relationship is so subtle, not built in words but in actions.

I liked this type of swoony romance, though I must say, I was expecting the romance to be a little more steamy? Something about the synopsis saying that the romance is "seductive" had me thinking that Marco and Celia would have intense, ah, physical times. But everything about their chemistry and their romance is subtle, and built in gestures and creations. I do like the romance, but you'll see below that my ONE complaint is that I expected a steamier romance! 

This book is written in third person, mostly written in either Celia's or Marco's perspective. However, there are chapters written in another character's perspective. The way this story is built, we experience it from when Celia and Marco were very young, and then as the years go by, and then a chapter will be set in the future, and then the story will go back to present day... you'd think this would be confusing but it was not! Every chapter has a date before it starts, so you never lose track of what, where, and who. 

I loved this story. It's such a beautiful story, and I could totally see it becoming a classically known tale. I love that it's a standalone. I love that the ending is satisfying - I was expecting a sad ending, to be honest. This book was delightful!

What I Did Not Like:

Like I mentioned above, I thought the romance would be more physical! Marco and Celia kiss a few times, and there is one subtly, short steamy scene, but given the synopsis (again, "seductive"), I expected lots of touching (even just simple hand brushes or hugs or something). The seduction is like, through the game. Marco creates this, Celia in turn creates this, and they're continually building the circus by creating things for each other. It's so sweet! But not the kind of romance I was expecting. Still a VERY beautiful romance! I enjoyed it.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book, to anyone. It's an adult fiction novel (you can always tell by looking at the price - it's $26.95!), but readers of pretty much any age (errr, maybe 13 and up) will enjoy this book. It's fantasy and there is a sweeping romance and there are characters that are so lovable and sweet and basically this book was lovely! And the ending was so good.

Rating:

4 stars. I think I might have given it five stars if the romance had been a little more to what I was expecting - but then again, maybe I've been reading one too many adult romance novels recently. I am so glad that I got this book for Christmas! Four and a half years later I finally read it... better late than never.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen

Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen

Book Three of The Malediction Trilogy

Publisher: Angry Robot

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Rating: 1 star

Source: eARC from the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

The thrilling conclusion to the breakout Malediction Trilogy by Goodreads Choice finalist Danielle L. Jensen. 

Cécile and Tristan have accomplished the impossible, but their greatest challenge remains: defeating the evil they have unleashed upon the world.

As they scramble for a way to protect the people of the Isle and liberate the trolls from their tyrant king, Cécile and Tristan must battle those who’d see them dead. To win, they will risk everything. And everyone.

But it might not be enough. Both Cécile and Tristan have debts, and they will be forced to pay them at a cost far greater than they had ever imagined.

What I Liked:

Initial reaction, upon finishing this book: I wish I had never started this series. I don't think I have EVER said that about a series before. This series was a complete downhill rollercoaster - from amazing (book one) to horrible (book two) to so terrible I want to block it from my memory (book three). I feel bad because I requested this book from the publisher! But at the same time... I'm well and truly hurt right now. My thanks to Angry Robot, but, ah, I'm sorry too? 

Like Stolen Songbird and Hidden Huntress, Warrior Witch is a Pili-Pushed recommendation! It's going to count for the month of March. To see the my Pili-Pushed reviews, click on the "Pili Pushed" tag (at the bottom of my blog).

What I Did Not Like:

Issues I had with this book:

- The first half (maybe a little more) is boring as h*ll. Gosh I struggled with this book overall, but a significant part of this was due to how boring the first half was. I was either bemoaning how boring it was, or how much of a dumb*ss Cécile was (whoops?). Of course, boredom is subjective. 

- Cécile is actually a stupid and terrible person. Check out my Goodreads updates for this book, if you get a chance. You'll see that I struggled with her from start to finish of this book. I also hated her in Hidden Huntress - weird how I was just fine with her in Stolen Songbird. She wasn't that bad, at the time.

I have so many problems with our heroine. The author writes her in a way that she wants to seem independent and tough and bad*ss, but it seems so forced. Cécile is constantly coming up with her own (dumb) plans, and she's constantly ignoring voices of reason (i.e. smarter people than her). Where does it lead her? Well, in one instance, a whoooole bunch of people die. In another instance, she endangers Tristan. In another, she selfishly decides to do XYZ and her human family is left wondering if she is even alive. Cécile placates her own self by saying that she is "going to save everyone" and she "wants to be doing stuff", basically she wants to be a bad*ss, but she is a danger to herself and everyone else. 

What makes me even MORE angry is that she's so self-righteous with it! Like she's actually saving th world - her, the human, against powerful trolls, fae, and magic she doesn't understand. Cécile is seventeen and a HUMAN. I think the author forgets this part A LOT. There is no logical way (logical within this fantasy realm) that Cécile is SO much more powerful than everyone else (or has the ability to seem really powerful) - even with her ability to make potions (or whatever "witch" qualities the author gave her). I don't understand! It makes no sense! In any case, Cécile thinks she's God, and better than everyone else. So frustrating!

AND THEN she blames everything on everyone else. Actually, let me back up. We go from bouts of self-pity and martyrdom (woe is me, I've lead to the death of these people - honey, yes you did), to omg Tristan THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT. Um... girl. You killed Anushka. You lead to a bunch of humans dying when YOUR plan failed. Not Tristan's. Not anyone else's. You want to come up with DUMB, immature plans to "help"? Face the consequences.

- Tristan and Cécile seemed to have no relationship. How in the world did I ever fall for these two?! There was no love between them. They were hardly together in this book, and when they were, it seemed like Cécile was mad at Tristan (for nothing that was his fault), or blaming him (same story), or defying him just so she could seem bad*ss. There was one "swoony" (read: not swoony) scene - that's the scene that the author tweeted about, as "racy". Oh please. It was all of three sentences long and it was not racy (or swoony) at all. It seemed rushed and not articulated well. Also, it was one of those scenes where the two characters were like, well, we might die so... let's have sex! 

I didn't feel their love. Tristan clearly cared very much for Cécile, but Cécile... I don't know what to say about her. She's selfish (but acts like she's a martyr), and I am not convinced of her feelings for Tristan. She never seemed grounded in anything except getting into the worst possible situations, making everything infinitely worse, blaming literally everyone (all the while throwing the nastiest pity parties), and trying to act like she was some kind of bad*ss female protagonist (this felt fake and forced and NO). 

- Parts of the ending felt like a cop-out. Ever heard of deus ex machina? Well.

- To be honest, I'm not even sure how the ending worked. I really don't understand how some things just magically... stopped. Or how a human girl (child, I should say) was able to do certain... things. It makes no logical sense. And I'm not quite sure why and how things just... stopped.

- I've barely scratched the surface on the ending - it was HORRIBLE (and not a HEA). Hands-down the worst part of this book was the very very end, after all was said and done in terms of the war and Roland and blah blah blah. POSSIBLE SPOILER: if you like HEAs, don't read this series. The ending gutted me. I was already having so much trouble with the book - the series - and then the ending happened. It was not good. It was not happy. The last couple of sentences were an author's cop-out to have some semblance of a "happy ending", but the ending was NOT happy. 

Don't get me wrong, not every book or series needs to have a happy ending. But I personally like them, and I will sure as h*ll take away stars if the ending of a book (ESPECIALLY a conclusion novel) isn't a happy one, and for cruel reasons too. That being sad, you (whoever is reading this review) might think the ending is lovely and beautiful and perfect! Not me. 

Maybe I was too invested - I really wanted the ending to redeem the series for me. It was cruel, one of the cruelest endings. And the sad thing? I'm saying it's cruel but the ending is NOT what you think. Trust me, it's worse. Authors, take note: please don't end your trilogies like this.

I am so disappointed in this book. And the series, to be honest. I loved Stolen Songbird. I had issues with Hidden Huntress, and most of those issues were with Cécile. I'm incredibly disappointed that so many of those Cécile issues that I had in book two carried over into this book. And I am so emotionally gutted from the ending of this book. This book could have gotten a decent rating with the Cécile issues if the ending hadn't been so... brutal. 

Would I Recommend It:

Even with all of that being said, I would never discourage someone who had read Stolen Songbird (and possibly Hidden Huntress as well) from continuing the series (unless you really trust me/my opinion, in which I'm flattered!). But if you have not started this series... maybe ask for spoilers before you do. Or, you know, just don't. Don't start the series. Don't put yourself through this misery. I literally cannot remember the last time I hated a series so much (especially after LOVING the first book! It was so incredibly amazing!). There are better fantasy series out there! Try Jodi Meadows' The Orphan Queen/The Mirror King, or Sherry Thomas' Elemental trilogy, or Robin LaFevers' His Fair Assassins trilogy.

Rating:

1 star -> but I would give it 0 stars if I could. Overall series rating: 2 stars (the first book was really good). I seriously wish I had never started this series though. I think I need therapy. Or maybe several extremely sexy/swoony adult romance novels with low drama and a guaranteed HEAs? Anything to help me recover. I just want to forget I ever started this series!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: May 17, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.

What I Liked:

I'd like to start my review by saying that this book was not nearly as difficult to read as I'd expected. See, the thing is, I do not like to read books that focus on "tough issues", such as mental health, or rape, or suicide, or depression. Fiction is a means of escape for me, and reading those difficult (yet SO significant) issues makes me incredibly discouraged and sad, no matter the outcome of the book. Girl Against the Universe is about a girl suffering from a number of mental illnesses, such as PTSD and OCD; it's also about a boy trying to figure out what's best for himself, and not what everyone else wants from him. I honestly wasn't all that interested in this book, because I thought it would be on those typical heavy YA contemporary novels that I try to avoid. But, I'm glad I gave the book a shot, because I did like it a lot.

I'm counting this as this month's Pili-Pushed novel, even though I downloaded the book from Edelweiss before needing a push... I've read Stokes' other five novels, and for the most part, liked them. To see other Pili-Pushed recommendations, click on the "Pili-Pushed" tag!

Maguire is convinced that her mere presence puts people in danger. Years ago, she was in a car accident in which her father (the driver), uncle, and older brother died, but she did not get hurt at all. A series of extraordinary events followed, in which everyone but Maguire was hurt in some way. Maguire doesn't like to use public transportation, or being in a car with others. She constantly checks for potential hazards, and has all kinds of good luck charms and rituals. She's been doing great, no accidents lately; she's also been a granite wall to her therapist. But meeting Jordy changes everything for Maguire. Can she trust herself to be around him, or is her bad luck going to strike once again?

Maguire is a strange girl, as we see from the very first chapter. We meet Maguire in her therapist's office, in which she is dodging his questions and being cryptic and not talkative and basically wasting everyone's time. Leaving the session, she meets the therapist's next patient, a boy who won't tell her who he is, but wants her to help him with his therapy session "homework". As it would turn out, he's Jordy, a famous junior tennis player, and guess what else? Maguire had decided to join the tennis team (she used to play), as part of her goals (she isolates herself, so joining the tennis team is a huge step for her). She and Jordy becomes friends.

I liked Maguire almost immediately. I was a tiny bit surprised because often I'll be frustrated with the protagonist of a YA contemporary "tough issues" novel, but I really felt for Maguire. She has all these coping mechanisms in the form of good luck charms, and she selectively blames herself for things out of her control. Logically, you're probably thinking, that's ridiculous! I would probably be thinking that too; but you can really see Maguire's state of mind, and understand what she's thinking and why. I think Stokes did a really good job of making Maguire who she is, and in an authentic and interesting way.

Our other protagonist, Jordy, is equally as complex and strange and interesting. This book is told from Maguire's first-person POV, but we get to experience Jordy's character development parallel to Maguire's. Jordy is a tennis star whose parents dictate every aspect of his life. He's a people pleaser, so he doesn't fight it. But he's been seeing the therapist because he feels like "tennis Jordy" and "real Jordy" are two completely different personalities, and he doesn't know who he really is. Seeing Jordy work through his problems (familial and otherwise) is just as wonderful as seeing Maguire do the same. Both characters have been through so much, and work hard to overcome. 

Did I mention that this book isn't as heavy as you'd think? Don't get me wrong, Stokes really REALLY captured PTSD and OCD, and portrayed the illnesses not how one would think (OCD isn't just straightening pages or matching corners). But the book wasn't constantly bogged down by tragic and heartbreaking event after tragic and heartbreaking event. Maguire's (and Jordy's) story is quite uplifting, with plenty of mountains and valleys.

Of course there is a little romance in this book! Maguire and Jordy are cute and sweet together. Maguire doesn't think she's ready for a relationship, and she's also heard certain things about Jordy. But I like how Jordy is a totally *real* guy; he's also very straightforward and tells her he likes her as more than a friend (in my experience, guys are not so direct). Jordy is a sweetie, a patient and kind person who probably gives nice guys. I love this pair!

Tennis! My favorite sport (well, it's a tie with soccer). I love seeing sports play a big role in YA novels, especially featuring a female athlete protagonist (and in this book, also a male one). Maguire is pretty hardcore! Not as hardcore as Jordy though. Being a huge tennis fan, I loved following all the tennis speak!

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with this book. Of Stokes' three books, this would be my favorite. Of the author's six books (three of which are under her pen name), it'd probably be tied with Starling (I REALLY liked Starling). My next Stokes book is Vicarious!

What I Did Not Like:

This could totally just be me, but I thought the climax was a little cliche? Maybe cliche is a bad word for what I'm thinking. Like, the climax just seemed like one of those scenes that unfolds and you're just like, of COURSE that happens, because duh, it just happened to be that way... it seemed way too obvious of a climax and I'm kind of disappointed that the author took that route. But this is a small (Alyssa) thing; I think the climax worked with the story, but it seemed cliche.

Would I Recommend It:

If you like YA contemporary, I'd recommend this book. I don't like and recommend too many YA tough-issue contemporary novels, so I'd like to say that it probably means something, that I'm recommending this book. *nudges*

Rating:

4 stars. A cute, not-so-heavy, important novel on making your own destiny and taking the reins of your life. I'd love to read an epilogue featuring Jordy and Maguire!

Author Blog | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide. 

What I Liked:

I really wanted to like this book. It's my Pili-Pushed recommendation for the month, and I trust Pili's judgment - nearly all of the Pili-Pushed recommendations have received positive feedback from me! This one would be of the few (sorry, Pili!).

Kora is the queen of one of the Sepharon territories, Elja. She's the first female ruler in generations, and her people are calling for a new leader. They want her younger twin brother, Dima, on the throne. Kora has a plan to meet suitors and marry. Eros is a half-Sepharon, half-human man living in the desert among humans. He's never been accepted, except by his adopted family. When Kora's people attack his and take him prisoner, he has a choice: execution, or swear fealty. Eros is made one of Kora's personal soldiers and bodyguards, because she doesn't trust her guards (they have shown more loyalty to Dima), and no one would dare bribe a half-breed (they think he's an abomination). Things go from bad to worse when an assassination attempt is made on her betrothed's life, and she and Eros must run in order to save themselves - as well as humans, and Sepharon, from a greater threat.

Things that worked well - the setting and most of the science fiction aspects of the book. I loved the sandy setting of a planet nothing like Earth. I liked the set-up of the Sepharon kingdoms. The idea of the Sepharon is cool - they're aliens with weird markings on their skin, almost like permanent gold tattoos. Some of them have strange eye colors. They have a different color of blood too. The humans are like normal humans. The Sepharon enslave humans and basically strip away their humanity - it's horrifying. THAT was done really well too - the cruelty of the Sepharon to humans. 

I will say that I never once thought to put this book, as it had me very much hooked. I kept reading and waiting for my questions to be answered - even at 95%, I was like okay... there's still time for a really thorough epilogue... I got nothing. Time for the next section of my review!

What I Did Not Like:

Immediately upon finishing the novel, I made a list of things I didn't like in the book. I'm going to use the list format.

- Lack of resolution in the ending (is this part of a series?). Clearly this book wasn't written to be a standalone. Or, if it was, it is a very sh***y standalone novel that deserves 0.5 stars from me. I'm sure the author intends to have a sequel published, but as far as I know there is none that exists/will exists via the publisher... but I don't know this for sure. In any case, the ending wrapped up NOTHING. I have more questions than I started out with, about Roma and Eros's potential new role, about Eros and Kora, about the humans, the Sepharon, the pale man (who is he?). Nothing is explained! 

If you know you're getting a contract for ONE book, why in the world would you half-write that one book, like you intend for there to be another book to follow?! That is SO rude! The author could have at least cleaned up the ending a little; making it somewhat open-ended is one thing (fine), but not answering anything, especially logistics questions? Not okay.

- Absolutely NO resolution in the romance (in terms of our lead pair); again, is this part of a series? Our lead pair has no idea where they stand. Kora and Eros kiss once, and then Kora freaks out and they don't speak and Kora ignores him and THERE IS NO RESOLUTION. Or symbolic scene of hope (like, the two of them reaching for each other's hands, or hugging, or looking into each other's eyes, or something). Nothing. 

- Speaking of our lead pair -- instalove sets on really quickly. I cannot believe how quickly it seems that Eros's feelings change. Yes, she's attractive, and your body recognizes that. But his FEELINGS go from hatred (she did have his family murdered) to squishy tender caring. Hmmm. And vice versa! Kora falls for a half-breed who is, yes, hot, but also, a HALF-BREED, that everyone else finds unattractive. (Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against the fact that Kora finds Eros attractive; it's WHY that's bothering me. Literally EVERYONE else thinks his existence is disgusting.)

- I completley understnad that Kora is supposed to be very very attractive, but I find it so hard to believe that he falls for her, the woman who ordered the execution of his people. So implausible. Lucifer was supposed to be gorgeous, right? Doesn't make him someone I'd want to plant my mouth on, just saying.

- What I find even more unbelievable is how quickly it takes the lines to be blurred; the queen and her new, half-blood personal guard/slave get really close, like on a first-name basis, WAY too quickly. Like, DAYS after he is dragged to her palace. Really? Not plausible. In any type of hierarchy, especially when it comes to royalty, soldiers/servants do NOT address the royalty by their first name. EVER. I find it difficult to believe that mere days after Eros is brought to the palace, he is trussed up as a PERSONAL GUARD to the queen, and he's calling her "Kora". SHE can call him whatever she wants; he should not have the right to reciprocate. 

- I'm trying to understand why Kora isn't disgusted by Eros. Literally EVERYONE else is. Sure, he's attractive. But that's not even what she notices about him. What whim caused her to take pity on him? She should be wary and distrusting - not invite him into her personal guard. I'm very confused by this (even if the reason she gave to Eros for forcing him to be her new personal guard was a tiny bit reasonable). I don't buy into Kora's alleged intelligence - she seems a bit dumb to me. She barely seems queenly half the time, and it often has nothing to do with Eros.

- Also, girlfriend is not as bada** as she seems. She lets her (younger) brother walk all over her. Dima is the Commander, as well as he's her second (the one to take her place if she dies or anything like that). It amazes me how many times he orders Kora to do something, and she does it. Go inside, Kora. Shut up, Kora. You can't do that, Kora. KORA. You are the f***ing queen. ACT LIKE IT.

- The presence of a love triangle (kind of -- though it resolves itself in the end; quite possibly the only thing that IS resolved is the triangle, because of what happens to one of the "legs"). It's a weird love triangle, but it's there. You have the betrothed (the one she "should" be with, the pure-blood prince), and you have Eros, the half-blood hottie. I like Eros. I feel bad for him. I liked the prince (Serik) too but I felt like he deserved better than Kora (Eros too, for that matter). It's also shockingly weird how quickly Serik FALLS IN LOVE with Kora (not lust - love; this was very explicitly stated). 

- Weird insertions of made-up words that are supposed to be dialect or speak of the planet, but they were distracting, more than anything else. So distracting. I had to read lines twice and three times again because I couldn't catch the meaning, or because that one made-up word made me pause. Those words didn't flow well, with the story.

- Not to mention there were waaay too many modern-day references that stuck out like sore thumbs too. You can't blend 21st-century American slang with weird planet slang ("mo" for moment, "kinduv" for kind of, etc.). There were sooo many colloquial phrases that just did not fit in the book, and like I said, the weird slang dialect words the author threw in the book were also distracting.

- Above all, it would help to know if this were part of a series or not. Because then I would look past my first and second complaints, and this book would get another star. Big difference between 2.5 stars and 3.5 stars. But as we don't know about a sequel, I'm just going to give the (almost ultimate) punishing rating because I am NOT satisfied.

Would I Recommend It:

I do not recommend this book. It's not worth reading, especially since we have no idea if there will be a sequel or not. It wasn't the best-written story, and there were too many juvenile novice things that bothered me. Not to mention a HIGHLY unsatisfying romance and an infuriating ending. Did I mention the deus ex machina in the climax? One of my biggest pet peeves!

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. Actually maybe it's just 2 stars flat. I want to say that I'll give the sequel a shot if there were to be one, but after writing this review, I'm not so sure. The more I think about this book, the less I liked it. Thank goodness it was fairly short!

Author Blog | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!