Review: Illuminated by Erica Orloff

This was a tough one for me. I didn't love it. I also didn't completely hate it. The writing style was nice and the premise had potential. My biggest issue is that the story wasn't more fleshed out. We have our main characters, Callie and August, who are supposed to be on this great hunt for the origins of this extremely rare palimpsest and they make a couple stops to talk to the owners of the book and they get the answer. There was also a supposedly dangerous rare book thief mentioned several times throughout the story, but never made an actual appearance. It seemed pointless to include this if it weren't going to be an actual threat or cause some complication in the story. Instead, we got a too easily solved mystery that all wrapped up in a very short amount of time and was tied up with a pretty little bow.

Another issue was the mind blowing insta-love of August and Callie. They met and that night he expected her to show up in his hammock because he "hinted" that he wanted that by simply pointing out that he had a hammock. Then after a whopping 24 hours he was texting her at 3 am telling her he missed her. By the second day they were professing their feelings and sleeping half naked together while imagining they are being pushed together by the ghosts of Heloise and Abelard. By the third day they were planning on running away together to go to Paris and kiss on top of the Eifel Tower while looking for the story of the book and it's prior owners. It was sweet and I liked the characters together, but the story moved at such a ridiculously rapid pace that it just became a caricature of the love story I think the author was going for. While the tone of the romance was supposed to be epic, it instead played out on the page as rapid and unhealthy infatuation.

Overall, this was a big disappointment. Not because the story was bad or the writing was boring, but simply because there needed to be a lot more to it. If the author had made the mystery harder to solve, included at least one actual stumbling block along the way, and given the characters time to form a real connection this would have been much more enjoyable. I did enjoy her writing style though and may pick up another of her books in the future.

Review: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

This was a quick and fun read. I read it in one sitting and was thoroughly entertained. The main character, Lissa, became a bit annoying at times with her control issues, but the character of Cash was a good balance to her neurosis. It was exactly what I expected from a short contemporary in that it was enjoyable and light with no real weight to it. I do enjoy a heavier story at times, but this was one time where the amusing and light writing style was refreshing and exactly what I was looking for.

In a battle of the sexes is there ever a clear winner? Lissa and all the girlfriends of the jocks are completely over a ten year long rivalry between the school's football team and the soccer team. No one can even remember how it started, but that doesn't stop the boys from hazing each other relentlessly. The boys get so caught up in the fighting that they neglect the girls. After a soccer player was seriously injured during a hazing incident, Lissa felt like it had all gone too far and was determined to end the rivalry once and for all. She gathered the girlfriends of both football and soccer players to organize a sex strike until they stopped fighting. Things were going well until her football star boyfriend betrayed her and a sexy soccer stud complicated things. Will Lissa be able to navigate her own feelings while keeping the strike organized long enough to end the rivalry?

If you are finding yourself in a winter reading rut of a lot of epic fantasy or long series and just need a quick and enjoyable break, this is the book for you. It lacks any slow spots and keeps you turning the pages with it's quirky storyline. I would definitely pick this one up again.

Review: The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

What. A. Ride! This is a non-stop page turner full of plot twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. I could not put this down and I don't think you will want to either. If you are a fan of sci-fi, political intrigue, romance, and one heck of a good time, I highly recommend this book.

This story takes place in the future when humanity has created humanoid creatures to perform various tasks ranging from house servants to those born to be sacrifices in their religious practices. One such breed are called Diabolics, and their sole purpose to be completely devoted to one individual and protect them at any cost, including sacrificing themselves for their master. Sidonia is the heir to a heretic senator who has angered the Emperor. To punish her father, she has been summoned to court to be held as a hostage in order to keep her father in line. Her loyal Diabolic, Nemesis, is sent in her place to protect her from the Emperor. Nemesis is taught how to act human enough to pass for Sidonia. When she arrives at court she is immediately thrust into a world of political vipers and has to learn much more than she anticipated in order to navigate the waters and not draw suspicion. Along the way, she aligns herself with the Emperor's heir who is known as a madman. Romance blossoms and Nemesis finds herself feeling things she is not genetically supposed to be able to feel. There is a lot of self reflection on her part and internal growth, which is refreshing to read and watch her come into her own. You never know who is really plotting what against anyone because the plot twists are ample. If you like excitement and action, you will love this book.

You will find yourself intrigued, excited, wanting to know where the next twist will take you, and even emotional at some points. The character development as you watch Nemesis grow is incredibly well written. I'm not usually a big fan of sci-fi, but I found myself wanting more space travel and adventures, which definitely says something for the strength of the writing. Overall, I give this one 4 out of 5 stars, with my only critique being that I wanted a bit more of the side characters and stories as well. I would pick this one up today, if you haven't already.

Review: Half Bad by Sally Green

This was an odd one for me because I found myself bored for 90% of this book, but then the ending finally picked up and I enjoyed the conclusion. Despite my apathy, Nathan captured me from the very beginning. You feel for him and want to know what's going to happen to him next. I would give the sound character development four stars, but the plotline and slow pace two stars.

In this story we follow Nathan, who's mother was a White Witch and who's father is a Black Witch. Nathan is called a half-code and is tracked to see what he will become as it is so uncommon for the two to ever mix. He is captured, tortured, and made to live in a cage for years. Despite his abuse, he is still determined to be good. It seems his body and talents are those of a Black Witch like his father, but his heart is good and gentle like that of his mother. He really just wants to be left alone. Not much really happens and what does moves at a glacial pace. I would find myself nodding off while reading, but I kept turning the pages because of Nathan. He was captivating.

Overall, I give this one three stars and that is solely because of Nathan being so well written. If you are coming off an epic fantasy series and need something slow to rest your mind, this is the book for you. You will still be rewarded and invested in Nathan's story, just at a much slower pace. I still plan to continue with this series and have hopes that there will be more action as the story progresses. Fingers crossed!

Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

This was a page turning, keep you guessing, whodunit that I just couldn't get enough of. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between our two man characters, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell. Both are from prestigious families and are wealthy high born aristocrats with an unnatural fascination with the forensic sciences. They meet while apprenticing for Audrey Rose's uncle who is the local forensic examiner for Scotland Yard. During their studies the victims of Jack the Ripper begin to come across their table and they are intrigued by the monster committing such atrocities. We then follow their adventures in trying to figure out who the infamous murderer is before any more women fall prey to his depravity.

Despite the dark subject matter, the witty bickering and flirtation between them keeps it lighthearted and fun, much in the spirit of Holmes and Watson (minus the flirting). Overall, this was a very fun first novel in a series and I very much look forward to the next book and continuing the adventure.

Review: Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

 

 

 

Wow! That was an emotional rollercoaster I was not expecting from the football themed title and cover. I cried so much throughout this beautiful story of first love and unimaginable pain. This was one I could not put down and read in one sitting. I highly recommend this one if you loved Anna and the French Kiss as it also has companion novels coming out that follow different characters in the same world and has crossover so we still get glimpses of our first story.

 

In this story we follow the heartbreaking journey of two broken people who help heal the hurts of the other. Two years ago, Maggie witnessed her father murder her mother and hasn't spoken a word since. Football star, West, is currently losing his beloved father to cancer and hasn't told anyone so he is suffering alone and is drowning in the pain. One night as West begins to self destruct and act out more and more he encounters the new girl, Maggie, as she is forced to attend a football party with her cousin. He sees strength in her eyes as she stands up to him silently while he tries to lash out at her in the middle of his heartbreak. It wasn't the reaction he was expecting and it catches him off guard. One night he finally approaches her and lets his walls down, knowing she won't repeat anything he says since she never speaks. He tells her everything he is going through, but what he never expected was that she would answer back. Maggie sees the pain in West and recognizes it immediately. She understands the pain of losing a parent like no one else possibly could and she wants to help him through it since no one was able to help her through her profound loss. The two of them become closer and closer as they work through Wests pain. In the process, Maggie slowly begins to finally deal with her own pain that she had buried so deep. Somewhere along the way, they developed real feelings beyond friendship or shared pain. But, the emotional connection they formed based on the worst moments of their lives was so strong that they were able to overcome anything together.

 

This was an unexpectedly beautiful and emotionally charged book that caught me completely by surprise. I was looking for a light and fluffy contemporary to start off my reading this year and this was not that at all. However, I was so glad I stumbled upon this book because it was so heartbreakingly and beautifully accurate in it's descriptions of loss and the sometimes overwhelming and all consuming feeling of first love. If you are looking for a fast read that packs a punch, this is the book for you.