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Kisscut (Grant County, #2)
Kisscut (Grant County, #2)
Karin Slaughter | 2002 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
A disturbingly good thriller
The second in the Grant County series this book continues with the high shock value of the crimes involved. Seriously if you are squeamish or don’t want to be reading about rape, genital mutilation, paedophilia, child abuse, and/or suicide then you should probably avoid.

In this outing medical examiner Sara Linton and her on / off partner police chief Jeffery Tolliver investigate a tragic teenage argument that leads to the uncovering of a series of very dark secrets in the town. But with those around the victim closing ranks it’s tough to get to the bottom of who is responsible for some pretty disturbing stuff.

We get to see a bit more of the Sara and Jeffrey relationship dynamic; but more interesting in this book is the ongoing recovery of Detective Lena Adams. The horrendous experiences that were covered in the previous book in the series “Blindsighted” are taking their toll on Lena. I would recommend reading this series in order to fully get the back story to this.

Despite the uncomfortable nature of some of the subject matter this is another well written thriller from Slaughter.
  
Bjerner and the Beast (Fairytales of the Myth #3)
Bjerner and the Beast (Fairytales of the Myth #3)
Miranda Grant | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
BJERNER AND THE BEAST is the third novella in the Fairytales of the Myth series, which takes fairytales back to the dark days of the Brothers Grimm. The Disney versions, this series is not!

For me, this book took the series back up a notch. I loved the story of Bjerner and Ophidia, even though it broke my heart so many times. Such a bittersweet ending for Bjerner and Ophidia, but tragic what happens after that. I also got to find out what happened to Thalliya!

Miranda Grant certainly knows how to write a story that involves all of your emotions. The pacing is good in this one too, not going too fast to get lost, but with plenty of action keeping your attention.

This one is the best of the series so far, in my opinion. Definitely recommended for all fans of dark fairytales!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 8, 2021
  
Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth
Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth
Antoine Bonner | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth is the second book in Antoine Bonner's Rise of the Hearts series. Using Goodreads' rating system, I gave this book 3 stars. I gave the first book only 1 star. It was a challenge to even finish the first novel.

I liked Rebirth and do not think it was because I was familiar with the characters since I could not relate to them in the first novel. The writing improved since the last novel. In the first one, the story did not flow but it flowed well in Rebirth.

The first novel is NOT intended for Young Adults. Based on the description, I had mistakenly thought it was appropriate for younger readers. There are several passages that are not appropriate for young adults. I cannot think of any passages that would not be appropriate in the second book but still feel the series in not a young adult series.

This novel is only 100 pages long and is a very quick read. The story felt as if it was an episode in the middle of a television series. It felt as if it was only part of a story. I would read the next episode.

Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/11/19.
  
Secret Origins (The Courtless Fae #1)
Secret Origins (The Courtless Fae #1)
Maya Daniels | 2020 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Secret Origins is the first book in The Courtless Fae series and runs along the same timeline as Ignited, the sixth and final book in the Daywalker series. Personally, I would recommend you read that series first as it will give you a better idea about the different characters and what makes them tick. You will also see Myst with Frankie which is always worth a read.

You learn more about Myst from the start of this book. She has a persona she puts forward for everyone, and even falls for it herself at times. She pushes people away, not wanting to care for anyone. Unfortunately for her, some people sneak past her walls. From the other books, it is obvious that Myst and Fenrir have a history together but now we learn just what that history was. No wonder Myst pushed him away. Fenrir has a lot to do to make up to Myst and to get her to trust him again.

As with all of Maya Daniels' books, it is full of snarky humour and action. There are new characters to meet as we learn about Myst's past that I can't wait to meet again. A brilliant start to a new series and definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 26, 2020
  
Let me preface my review by saying that this book has very defined themes that really hit home for me. Things like: Friendship, trial, sacrifice, perseverance, study and reward, defined magic rules, war / training themes, rich history, and how love and grit will get you through tough times. Some of those themes are prevalent in books like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or even things like Mistborn, etc. If you enjoyed those series, you may enjoy this series as well. For me, those themes really resonate with me, and this book is no exception.

I’d like to recommend that you read Arcane – The Arinthian Line Series (Books 1 -5) first. Really, so much is set up before this book that you can’t just jump in blindly now. If you read those books and loved them, then KEEP READING: it just keeps getting more and more awesome. I love these books, and this book in the series just continues to help solidify my feeling that this has got to be one of the best book series I have ever read.

There are many ups and downs in this book. The author does a great job of making you feel like there is no hope, that all is lost, and that there’s no way they can ever get out of what they’re up against. I can’t say too much other than this: the few wins that there are do really hit hard on you: you just FEEL so much for the character’s vindication and justice that everything was worth it.

There were definitely some slow scenes and definitely some exciting scenes. There was rich history woven in a tapestry of friendship and growth and pain. Although the story might slow here and there, I felt it was very cohesive and realistic, and couldn’t find any gaps or issues with it. I felt that the character’s development (emotionally and otherwise) was so satisfying and raw. I love the villains and I love the heroes and everyone in between.

Honestly it’s been awhile since the last book, and since the first 5 books in the series, so I kinda forgot a few of the side characters, but I quickly was able to jump back in, and nothing weird about any side characters ever was enough of an issue to keep me from being engaged in the story.

Sever, keep up the good work. To me, this book and this whole series is the most under-rated gem of the 21st century. (Insert meme of me at a table with a sign that says just that, and underneath says “change my mind”. But then those words “Change my mind” are crossed out as you’ll never be able to do so!)

I hope that there is only 1 more book in this particular series as I think that would be a great way to end things, but realistically I plan on reading ANY book that Sever puts out at this point. It’s just so great that these books, while good for teens, can also hit home for adults as well. Also, as one who is mindful of content, this book is generally between PG & PG-13 rated, mainly due to fighting, and so I’m glad to be able to enjoy quality literature that’s NOT R-rated. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Sever.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, and I recommend buying this book for an honest-to-goodness great experience.
  
TP
The Prada Plan 5
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the first book by this author that I've read and it definitely wont be the last. This book will keep you reading long into the night. This book can be read as a stand alone, I haven't read any other in this series but I'll definitely be going back to read them. The characters are really well written and you just end up falling in love with them as you read. This is an exciting book to read. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book
  
OP
Only Pleasure: Part 3
Lora Leigh | 2016
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
this book is a fab ending to the set, this book brings together all the emotions from the first to books and answers all the questions. This book has the same amazing characters. You will definitely need to read the other two books to appreciate this book. This is definitely a hot and steamy read to warm you up on these dark and cold nights. I loved this series on a whole and would definitely read them again. I cant wait for more from this amazing author in the future.

Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

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Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely, #5)
Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely, #5)
Melissa Marr | 2011 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
The final book in the Wicked Lovely series, this book does a thorough job of wrapping up all of the sub-plots that were left hanging throughout the books. As with any decent book series, there were lots of what-ifs that I never got to see play out, but Marr's focus seemed to be on resolving the obstacles that blocked a number of romantic relationships within the series, such as Donia and Keenan's. Many of the main players made an appearance in the book, with quite a number of them exchanging point-of-view for the benefit of the reader. A few new characters were even introduced, such as the king of the water fey that Keenan sought out.
With the build-up to Aislinn deciding between Keenan and Seth in the previous books, her final decision seemed sort of anti-climactic, though I still liked her decision. I also really liked what followed, though I get the feeling that this series was more about female power, than a balance of power between male and female.
Reading about Niall's disconnection and madness was quite fascinating, though I believed for most of the book that it was for reasons other than what was revealed. I was quite thrilled when Leslie showed up, though her part seemed rather short and abrupt. Seth's part in the book also seemed stilted. For all his talk and potential, he is not allowed to do much due to poor circumstances, and I was really quite disappointed, as he has always been my favorite character in the series.
The final battle in the faery war was gruesome, but short and filled with more talk than necessary. The two faeries whose specialty was death seemed to have much potential for creating obstacles, but in the end they just seemed to have rather simple lives - even to the point of ignorance.
I actually would love for this series to continue, if only to focus more on the politics and power games, since this book seemed to be all about everyone's romantic happily ever after.