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Merissa (12776 KP) rated Avenged by Fire (Between Ruin and Salvation #3) in Books
Apr 12, 2023
AVENGED BY FIRE is the third book in the Between Ruin and Salvation series and you must read these books in order, as one follows on from the other.
I won't rehash the storyline - you've got the blurb for that. Suffice it to say it is full-on action once again. Now Ava has beaten Alpha Thomas, she has set her sights on the Council. After all, they do have her parents, child, and mother-in-law! Together with Makaii, they set off around America to form alliances in a bid to take them down. While doing that, the full horror of what the council is doing comes to light - and there is no way that Protector Ava or her associates are going to stand for that!!!
Ava is just as kick-ass as in the other stories and I am finally warming up to Makaii. In fact, I actually felt for him in this book as he tries his best to go against his instincts to wrap Ava up in cotton wool to keep her safe. I may not have been that keen on him but I love their relationship. There are mistakes being made, give and take between two very strong individuals. They haven't just immediately fallen into this perfect life.
Ava also gets to meet more of her family - together with a Fae Prince who is a bit of a jerk, if I'm honest. Mind you, Ava does manage to bring him into line in spectacular fashion. That may be my favourite scene out of the whole book.
Oh, and Bailey sniffs out her mate but avoids him like the plague. I know which one I want for her but I will have to wait and see.
One helluva cliffhanger wraps up one helluva book! I really can't wait for the conclusion and to see Ava in action again. HIGHLY recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 12, 2023
I won't rehash the storyline - you've got the blurb for that. Suffice it to say it is full-on action once again. Now Ava has beaten Alpha Thomas, she has set her sights on the Council. After all, they do have her parents, child, and mother-in-law! Together with Makaii, they set off around America to form alliances in a bid to take them down. While doing that, the full horror of what the council is doing comes to light - and there is no way that Protector Ava or her associates are going to stand for that!!!
Ava is just as kick-ass as in the other stories and I am finally warming up to Makaii. In fact, I actually felt for him in this book as he tries his best to go against his instincts to wrap Ava up in cotton wool to keep her safe. I may not have been that keen on him but I love their relationship. There are mistakes being made, give and take between two very strong individuals. They haven't just immediately fallen into this perfect life.
Ava also gets to meet more of her family - together with a Fae Prince who is a bit of a jerk, if I'm honest. Mind you, Ava does manage to bring him into line in spectacular fashion. That may be my favourite scene out of the whole book.
Oh, and Bailey sniffs out her mate but avoids him like the plague. I know which one I want for her but I will have to wait and see.
One helluva cliffhanger wraps up one helluva book! I really can't wait for the conclusion and to see Ava in action again. HIGHLY recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 12, 2023
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Breaking Glass in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review will be up on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> in September).
If you've been following my blog/reviews, you will know that I love anything to do with beyond the grave! Ghosts are a sure fire way to make me pick up a book and read it instantly! Luckily, this book was a really interesting read and helped me keep my faith in those type of books.
The title is definitely an interesting one. It made me thing of a type of mystery book, which this is somewhat. Also, after reading the blurb, I thought maybe this would be about the main character having a break down.
I'm on the fence about the cover. On the one hand, I love the different images on the cover. They give me a sort of creepy feel. On the other hand, I wish the cover would've been an image from the book or gave us more insight to the book.
I love how the author draws you into Jeremy's world quite easily. I felt as if everything that was happening to Jeremy was happening to me. I could visualize the world quite easily. The only thing that kind of made me have a "hmm" moment was when The Book of the Dead disappears from Jeremy's room, but it just kind of turns up again in another chapter without any explanation. That's a totally minor thing, and all the other loose ends of the story are all tied up by the ending. The world building is just amazing!
Before I picked up this book, I felt as if it would start out slow at first and then pick up speed. How wrong I was! From the very first sentence, the pacing is spot on. Not once did I become bored with this book. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I was hanging on every word, even at the ending! (And don't worry, there isn't any sort of cliff hanger ending. I just didn't want it to end).
I very much enjoyed the plot. I felt this was more of a whodunnit type plot. Jeremy is convinced someone murdered Susannah, so he's trying to solve the mystery as soon as possible all while feeling like he is being haunted by Susannah's ghost. There is some romantic elements, but it's not the main focus. Oh, and I loved the twists involving Susannah! There's even one about Ryan that I figured out with all the context clues before his secret was revealed.
The characters were written superbly! Jeremy Glass feels like an average angry teenager. Now when I say angry, I don't mean angsty or emo or immature. He's been through a lot including watching his mother die and dealing with his injury. Now he's convinced his best friend is missing. Jeremy's got a lot on his plate, and if I were him, I'd be angry too. I loved his sarcasm and wit even if it was to mask how he was feeling most of the time. We don't really get to see much of Susannah's character except when Jeremy believes he is seeing her ghost and what he finds out about her personality. The girl obviously had problems, but for a character whose presence is more ethereal, the author does a fantastic job of making her come alive (no pun intended). I would've loved to know more about Marisa especially her back story such as where she came from and why she moved to the United States. The book says she's an immigrant, but I would've just liked to know a bit more. I liked the character of Ryan. At first, I thought he was a bit of an idiot and really selfish, but as the story progresses, I came to see that Ryan had his reasons for acting the way he did. I really enjoyed Trudy's back story!
There is a lot of swearing in this book, but I don't believe it's over the top. Teenagers swear, and it's a part of life. The swearing in this book makes it more believable. I understand why a lot of young adult writers don't include swearing, but for this book, the swearing worked. Overall, the dialogue is easy to understand and very believable. There were some times where I felt that Jeremy was older then 17, but after all that he'd been through, I figured it was down to all he'd been through.
Overall, Breaking Glass is one of the most intriguing books that I've read. It's one of those books that makes you ponder whether or not the main character is going crazy or is he actually experiencing everything around him.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ (due to language and themes) who like trying to solve mysteries and are looking for a book to wake up their brain.
I'd give Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz a 4.75 out of 5.
If you've been following my blog/reviews, you will know that I love anything to do with beyond the grave! Ghosts are a sure fire way to make me pick up a book and read it instantly! Luckily, this book was a really interesting read and helped me keep my faith in those type of books.
The title is definitely an interesting one. It made me thing of a type of mystery book, which this is somewhat. Also, after reading the blurb, I thought maybe this would be about the main character having a break down.
I'm on the fence about the cover. On the one hand, I love the different images on the cover. They give me a sort of creepy feel. On the other hand, I wish the cover would've been an image from the book or gave us more insight to the book.
I love how the author draws you into Jeremy's world quite easily. I felt as if everything that was happening to Jeremy was happening to me. I could visualize the world quite easily. The only thing that kind of made me have a "hmm" moment was when The Book of the Dead disappears from Jeremy's room, but it just kind of turns up again in another chapter without any explanation. That's a totally minor thing, and all the other loose ends of the story are all tied up by the ending. The world building is just amazing!
Before I picked up this book, I felt as if it would start out slow at first and then pick up speed. How wrong I was! From the very first sentence, the pacing is spot on. Not once did I become bored with this book. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I was hanging on every word, even at the ending! (And don't worry, there isn't any sort of cliff hanger ending. I just didn't want it to end).
I very much enjoyed the plot. I felt this was more of a whodunnit type plot. Jeremy is convinced someone murdered Susannah, so he's trying to solve the mystery as soon as possible all while feeling like he is being haunted by Susannah's ghost. There is some romantic elements, but it's not the main focus. Oh, and I loved the twists involving Susannah! There's even one about Ryan that I figured out with all the context clues before his secret was revealed.
The characters were written superbly! Jeremy Glass feels like an average angry teenager. Now when I say angry, I don't mean angsty or emo or immature. He's been through a lot including watching his mother die and dealing with his injury. Now he's convinced his best friend is missing. Jeremy's got a lot on his plate, and if I were him, I'd be angry too. I loved his sarcasm and wit even if it was to mask how he was feeling most of the time. We don't really get to see much of Susannah's character except when Jeremy believes he is seeing her ghost and what he finds out about her personality. The girl obviously had problems, but for a character whose presence is more ethereal, the author does a fantastic job of making her come alive (no pun intended). I would've loved to know more about Marisa especially her back story such as where she came from and why she moved to the United States. The book says she's an immigrant, but I would've just liked to know a bit more. I liked the character of Ryan. At first, I thought he was a bit of an idiot and really selfish, but as the story progresses, I came to see that Ryan had his reasons for acting the way he did. I really enjoyed Trudy's back story!
There is a lot of swearing in this book, but I don't believe it's over the top. Teenagers swear, and it's a part of life. The swearing in this book makes it more believable. I understand why a lot of young adult writers don't include swearing, but for this book, the swearing worked. Overall, the dialogue is easy to understand and very believable. There were some times where I felt that Jeremy was older then 17, but after all that he'd been through, I figured it was down to all he'd been through.
Overall, Breaking Glass is one of the most intriguing books that I've read. It's one of those books that makes you ponder whether or not the main character is going crazy or is he actually experiencing everything around him.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ (due to language and themes) who like trying to solve mysteries and are looking for a book to wake up their brain.
I'd give Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz a 4.75 out of 5.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Dead Sagas, Volume I, Part I in Books
Aug 21, 2018
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The Dead Sagas: Volume I, Part I by Lee Conley is a dark fantasy novel, a horror saga unlike any other. This is not a book for the weak. This is the book for the bravest, the ones who dare to read it, and the ones who can handle to continue living with what they now know.
<b><i>Book description:</i></b>
In a land called Arnar, where brave warriors fight for glory, a great evil comes alive.
The secrets of which the scholars were writing about in the past years, the scary stories that were being told in families throughout the generations are becoming true.
Creatures we thought were dead are now walking through the streets, spreading their disease, killing innocent people, and are about to take over Arnar.
The brave warriors are prepared to die defending their lands, but how can you fight creatures that barely feel pain? Are the warriors strong enough?
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/result_1529522968460.jpg?w=510"/>;
<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>
A story that will leave you breathless until the very end, a story that will push you into anxiety and make you bite your nails. A story that speaks about evil, and good, love, bravery and survival, a book that will sit on your shelf after reading it, and you’ll give it a look once in a while, and say: Ahh.. that was good!
In The Dead Sagas we have the chance to follow the stories of many characters. We will meet scholars and apprentices, we meet warriors and lords, we meet people from the street, doing everything they can to survive, we meet survivors that have seen things and we will meet sailors that are dying.
From chapter to chapter, the story goes from one character to another, and we slowly see the progression of the evil creatures, the spreading pace by pace. While it starts with sailors getting sick and dying afterwards on a ship, it slowly continues to become more and more intense, as we see people literally transforming into dead walkers right after they die, right in front of our eyes.
You will meet Bjorn, who escaped a tribe that cooks and eats people, you will meet Arnulf, who sees unimaginable things will being a lord of the watch. You will see him go through the greatest pain in life, you will see him afraid and brave, you will see him fighting, even though he wants to go and cry in the corner and die.
You will meet a girl that sells her body, so she can buy food for her and her little brother. You will meet a woman warrior, and learn about her amazing and brave story, you will watch how people see their loved ones die right in front of their eyes, and sometimes, they even have to be the ones to kill them in order to survive.
Even though we learn so much about the characters and their stories, it was hard for me to really connect with any of them, as the chapters moved fast from one character to another. This is probably the reason to why I also found the beginning quite slow. It took me around 90 pages, to start realising what is happening.
There will be a lot of violence in this book, a lot of swearing, and scenes that might upset or offend you. This book is not for the weak ones, that is for sure. And while for some of you this might put you off this book, I do have to say that if the book didn’t have a strong language and violent scenes like it does, it wouldn’t have been the same.
The biggest ''flaw'' I had was the ending. I won’t say anything spoiler-ish , as I don’t want to ruin the book for you, but let’s just say that I didn’t expect it to end the way it did.
Even though this is a story about the dead people walking around and killing everything in front of them, this is actually a book about the survivors, the ones that managed to retell this story - the ones that lost anything and everything to be where they are now. This is for the lives of the brave souls, the mighty warriors, that were noble and tried to protect their lands.
A massive thanks to the author, Lee Conley, who managed to find me in the deep waters of Twitter, and who agreed to send me a paperback copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Dead Sagas: Volume I, Part I by Lee Conley is a dark fantasy novel, a horror saga unlike any other. This is not a book for the weak. This is the book for the bravest, the ones who dare to read it, and the ones who can handle to continue living with what they now know.
<b><i>Book description:</i></b>
In a land called Arnar, where brave warriors fight for glory, a great evil comes alive.
The secrets of which the scholars were writing about in the past years, the scary stories that were being told in families throughout the generations are becoming true.
Creatures we thought were dead are now walking through the streets, spreading their disease, killing innocent people, and are about to take over Arnar.
The brave warriors are prepared to die defending their lands, but how can you fight creatures that barely feel pain? Are the warriors strong enough?
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/result_1529522968460.jpg?w=510"/>;
<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>
A story that will leave you breathless until the very end, a story that will push you into anxiety and make you bite your nails. A story that speaks about evil, and good, love, bravery and survival, a book that will sit on your shelf after reading it, and you’ll give it a look once in a while, and say: Ahh.. that was good!
In The Dead Sagas we have the chance to follow the stories of many characters. We will meet scholars and apprentices, we meet warriors and lords, we meet people from the street, doing everything they can to survive, we meet survivors that have seen things and we will meet sailors that are dying.
From chapter to chapter, the story goes from one character to another, and we slowly see the progression of the evil creatures, the spreading pace by pace. While it starts with sailors getting sick and dying afterwards on a ship, it slowly continues to become more and more intense, as we see people literally transforming into dead walkers right after they die, right in front of our eyes.
You will meet Bjorn, who escaped a tribe that cooks and eats people, you will meet Arnulf, who sees unimaginable things will being a lord of the watch. You will see him go through the greatest pain in life, you will see him afraid and brave, you will see him fighting, even though he wants to go and cry in the corner and die.
You will meet a girl that sells her body, so she can buy food for her and her little brother. You will meet a woman warrior, and learn about her amazing and brave story, you will watch how people see their loved ones die right in front of their eyes, and sometimes, they even have to be the ones to kill them in order to survive.
Even though we learn so much about the characters and their stories, it was hard for me to really connect with any of them, as the chapters moved fast from one character to another. This is probably the reason to why I also found the beginning quite slow. It took me around 90 pages, to start realising what is happening.
There will be a lot of violence in this book, a lot of swearing, and scenes that might upset or offend you. This book is not for the weak ones, that is for sure. And while for some of you this might put you off this book, I do have to say that if the book didn’t have a strong language and violent scenes like it does, it wouldn’t have been the same.
The biggest ''flaw'' I had was the ending. I won’t say anything spoiler-ish , as I don’t want to ruin the book for you, but let’s just say that I didn’t expect it to end the way it did.
Even though this is a story about the dead people walking around and killing everything in front of them, this is actually a book about the survivors, the ones that managed to retell this story - the ones that lost anything and everything to be where they are now. This is for the lives of the brave souls, the mighty warriors, that were noble and tried to protect their lands.
A massive thanks to the author, Lee Conley, who managed to find me in the deep waters of Twitter, and who agreed to send me a paperback copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen, #1) in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Amy Bensen is on a plane to Denver to start a new life when she meets Liam Stone. From the moment she first lays eyes on him, there is something about him that she is instantly drawn to. Knowing she is on the run, will she be able to trust Liam in order to share a life with him, or will she always be on the run from a past she is uncertain about.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Amy Bensen has only been Amy Bensen for a few hours. She received a notice from her handler that it was time to move on, since he had found her. Now she is on the way to a new city to start a new life and she has no idea how that is going to work. Having to look over her shoulder all of the time and always be on alert for someone lurking around a corner is no way to live. But this is the only way she has to survive now. Meeting Liam on the plane to Denver has her thinking about this man in a way she has never thought about anyone. Can he be someone she will be able to trust or is he a part of the people who are after her.
Amy is hiding a lot about her past. Some things she remembers and other details are foggy in her brain. Sexy billionaire Liam Stone, makes somethings disappear from Amy's mind, but only briefly. Their instant connection scares her.
This book reminded me a little of Fifty Shades of Grey. With the intensity of Liam Stone and his controlling personality, and of course the sex. Overall the book was interesting and I'm curious to see how it will all end for Liam and Amy. If she will find out what happened in her past and if she can start to live normal life again. Will she be able to do that with Liam, or will he be the person who keeps her from finding the truth?
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Amy Bensen has only been Amy Bensen for a few hours. She received a notice from her handler that it was time to move on, since he had found her. Now she is on the way to a new city to start a new life and she has no idea how that is going to work. Having to look over her shoulder all of the time and always be on alert for someone lurking around a corner is no way to live. But this is the only way she has to survive now. Meeting Liam on the plane to Denver has her thinking about this man in a way she has never thought about anyone. Can he be someone she will be able to trust or is he a part of the people who are after her.
Amy is hiding a lot about her past. Some things she remembers and other details are foggy in her brain. Sexy billionaire Liam Stone, makes somethings disappear from Amy's mind, but only briefly. Their instant connection scares her.
This book reminded me a little of Fifty Shades of Grey. With the intensity of Liam Stone and his controlling personality, and of course the sex. Overall the book was interesting and I'm curious to see how it will all end for Liam and Amy. If she will find out what happened in her past and if she can start to live normal life again. Will she be able to do that with Liam, or will he be the person who keeps her from finding the truth?
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Night Fire in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Harry Bosch is one of my favorite characters ever, and I wait with much anticipation for the release of every new Michael Connelly novel. The Night Fire is the third book that features both Bosch and Detective Renee Ballard, who works the LAPD night shift. I’m really loving their partnership now and have grown to care for Ballard in her own right. (Bosch will always be my true love, though.)
This is another well-researched book from Connelly, as Bosch and Ballard work a series of intriguing cases—some of which will intersect. The story starts with Bosch receiving an old murder book from the widow of his former mentor. He pulls Ballard in to investigate and off we go! There are some great twists, and the cases are fascinating. I love Bosch to death and how he and Ballard play off each other. Mickey Haller makes an appearance, and Bosch struggles with a rare moment where he’s helping the defense.
The plot, as usual, is great--you can always count on Connelly for gripping cases that are timely and interesting. He manages to do this even as our two heroes are solving a cold case: quite a feat. I'm always astonished at how Connelly can somehow have Bosch and Ballard juggle two, three, four cases at time and somehow it all works. I always think I'll be confused and lost among the plot points, yet it always comes together.
The characters, however, are what keep you coming back. I love that we get to see Bosch interacting more with his half-brother, Haller. And there are some great scenes with Bosch and Maddie, his daughter, including one involving "FOMO" that is just priceless. As Bosch ages, each book seems to have more poignant moments tucked in between mysteries and bad guys. It's Ballard pushing the limits now, and Bosch reminding her to sleep.
Definitely a gripping read even as we have to grapple with the fact that our beloved Bosch is getting older. The ending gave me some hope, though, and I hope Bosch and Ballard are around for quite some time. 4+ stars.
This is another well-researched book from Connelly, as Bosch and Ballard work a series of intriguing cases—some of which will intersect. The story starts with Bosch receiving an old murder book from the widow of his former mentor. He pulls Ballard in to investigate and off we go! There are some great twists, and the cases are fascinating. I love Bosch to death and how he and Ballard play off each other. Mickey Haller makes an appearance, and Bosch struggles with a rare moment where he’s helping the defense.
The plot, as usual, is great--you can always count on Connelly for gripping cases that are timely and interesting. He manages to do this even as our two heroes are solving a cold case: quite a feat. I'm always astonished at how Connelly can somehow have Bosch and Ballard juggle two, three, four cases at time and somehow it all works. I always think I'll be confused and lost among the plot points, yet it always comes together.
The characters, however, are what keep you coming back. I love that we get to see Bosch interacting more with his half-brother, Haller. And there are some great scenes with Bosch and Maddie, his daughter, including one involving "FOMO" that is just priceless. As Bosch ages, each book seems to have more poignant moments tucked in between mysteries and bad guys. It's Ballard pushing the limits now, and Bosch reminding her to sleep.
Definitely a gripping read even as we have to grapple with the fact that our beloved Bosch is getting older. The ending gave me some hope, though, and I hope Bosch and Ballard are around for quite some time. 4+ stars.
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