A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is book 2 in the Immortals After Dark Series.

Okay, I love these books. They're so feral and animalistic, in a supernatural monster sort of way. I'm pretty sure that doesn't make much sense, but it will once you start reading them.

It's a nice change of pace when I want something mindless and ridiculously fun to read. The world is fascinating, and they're spicy to the max. They also come with a bit of blood and gore, as should be expected when you mix a vampire/valkyrie and a werewolf.

This book also has some consent issues, much like the first book, but it got better as the story progressed. I just want to throw that out there for anyone who is sensitive to this. At the beginning, it did bother me some, and I had to take a deep breath and remind myself that this is a paranormal romance novel. I accept that these aren't humans, and they aren't following my rules for humanity, which is why I just let it go and enjoy the overly-dramatic ridiculousness of it all as the story progressed. However, I do hope that improves in future novels, and as the first one is about 12 years old now, I suspect that it will.

The concept of each creature finding one true mate is charming. I don't even believe in soulmates or "the one" but these stories kind of make me wish that I did. There's some fun to be found in pretty lies.

Pages: 356

The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole

The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

People have recommended the Immortals After Dark series to me for years, and I have politely listened to them go on and on about their obsession before deciding that there are far too many books in this series for me to want to start now. However, I do really enjoy Kresley Cole's YA novels, so I have been curious.

Then the Bestie become obsessed with this series, and it was either finally read them or be texted to death about them for the next 6 months. So I started this series out of self-defense, but I've continued it for far more interesting reasons.

This first book is captivating, fast-space, and extremely steamy. It's a novella, so it's short, which means there's a bit less world-building and storyline than in some of the following books.

Also, let's just be honest and point out that there are some definite consent issues here, especially in the beginning, and that made me feel a bit anxious and wrong from the inside out. I did get over that by reminding myself that this is paranormal romance published about 12 years ago, and I can't expect these monsters to play by human rules. Also, the poor behaviors improved as the book progressed, which helped with my initial concerns, and the characters won me over pretty fast. The female lead, in particular, is sassy and kickass.

I listened to this on audiobook, and I confess that I think I was blushing for half the novel. I'm pretty sure I haven't blushed since high school, so that's impressive. It's a steamy read, not for the faint-hearted. Although, let's be honest. The faint-hearted could probably use a read like this to shake things up a bit. :)

Pages: 163

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I absolutely loved this YA space Sci-Fi. This story is exciting, fast-paced, and it has a well developed world--no--universe, that's embroiled in interstellar war. The storyline includes visits to several interesting planets, all with unique side characters.

The story is told from 2 POVs. One is a human girl, Noemi, a flyer sworn to protect her low-tech planet of Genesis by sacrificing her own life for the good of all. The other is a mech boy (artificial intelligence), created by a brilliant earthling. The mech has been stranded in space for 30 years, due to an unexpected chain of events. I won't say more, because spoilers, but the story is captivating from the first moment.

The audiobook is fantastic, with 2 readers, one for each POV.

Pages: 503

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The world and concept are so unique in this 2nd book of a YA monster-filled duology.

It explores the very concept of what humanity is and whether or not those traits are inherent to only humans, or just higher lifeforms in general. There's also a brand new monster that is rather chilling in the way it feeds on humans.

For me, the story drug on at times, and I could have used some more compelling forward motion. The characters are indeed fascinating, both monsters and humans alike, but I haven't found my groove with V.E. Schwab yet. She has some of the most fascinating concepts and brilliant worlds ever, but I'm unable to fully immerse myself into the stories for some reason. I can't seem to let go and exist insider her stories and worlds the way I want to, and I'm not sure why. I think it is probably something unique to me. So far, I have read all of her books by audiobook, so perhaps I need to try her out in print, in case that makes any difference...give myself a bit more time and head space to take the stories in at my own rate.

Overall, it's a solid read with a satisfying and realistic ending.

Pages: 510

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this world so much. I kind of hope the series drags on forever (this is book 6). Each book pulls me deeper and makes me love the series more. It’s one of those series that just grows and grows in the best sorts of ways. My least favorite book, is the first one, which is not to say that I dislike it, just that I can’t believe how much this series and world has grown since then.

I listened to the audiobook, which was excellent.

Also, I confess I was feeling a bit disgruntled with Chaol, whom long ago I loved, before I started to kind of hate him. This book really brought things full circle for me.

Pages: 672

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I will and do read everything by Leigh Bardugo, because I love her worlds and characters. This is another excellent read, but unfortunately, I didn't love this quite as much as all the others. The first book was definitely better, even though I was happy to have more time with these characters that I adore.

This is fiercely plotted, but still, the story feels just a bit drawn out at times. I hate that, because usually it's the longer, the better with Bardugo. However, there's a bit of spark missing from this story for me, at times, and most of it is in the interactions between characters. It's still well-written, so it's not exactly about the writing. I think I wanted the characters to grow a bit more than they apparently were capable of. That might have been unfair of me, but alas, I'm a greedy reader.

Also, I am not quite in love with how things ended up. I don't expect everything to be perfect and wonderful, but I just wanted something a bit more epic from the ending, since it's the last book in the series. It was off-putting that the final scene was from the POV of the villain, who I was already over and no longer cared about at that point. It's not how I wanted to leave the story. I would have rather it wrapped up from a better and more satisfying viewpoint.

Honestly, I think what this boils down to is that everything is great in how the fantasy/heist part of the story wrapped up, in general. I'm just not completely happy with how all the relationships developed and wrapped up, as I craved something more. I wanted the characters to dig to some deeper emotional levels.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still happy I read this book. It's good in a million different ways. But it's just shy of magnificent, and I have come to expect magnificence from Bardugo.

Pages: 560

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fantasy heist novel, which is a great concept! I love Leigh Bardugo, because she writes rich worlds and complicated characters. This is the first book in a duology, and I've already started book 2. You will want to have it on hand, because book one ends dramatically.

Pages: 462

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was pretty good overall, but it did not live up to my hopes and expectations. It fell a bit flat at times, which shocked me. Typically, I go into books blind, with no or low expectations. I don't usually even read the book blurbs. I just pick on blind faith, and then I go along for the ride. With this book, I went in with a few expectations, and now I wish I hadn't.

Here are some of those expectations I carried in:

1. The concept and world building would be incredible

--a. Concept was amazing. Totally brilliant.

--b. World building was mostly missing. You could argue that it wasn’t important how the world functioned, that it wasn’t inherent to the story. However, you can’t give a book nerd a novel with a fascinating concept, set in an unexpected world, and then not explain any aspect of the world to them at all. They may still enjoy the ride, but it will drive them crazy that nothing at all is explained, especially in a world where an extraordinary number of people have experienced loss and death. I just want to know why. Why?!?!? How does it work? Why the term deckers? Why can’t people just opt out of the notifications? Who is really in control? Why does nobody try to fight the system?

2. The characters will be incredible. And they are. I have no complaints with the two main characters. The side characters tend to feel a bit repetitive, which makes it harder for me to remember one from the next.

3. The plot will be fast-paced and undeniably exciting and intense. False. Absolutely false. If you want to read this, just know you’re in for a character-driven experience, not for an exciting plot.

4. There will be some unexpected twists. But there really weren’t. I even kept guessing what the twists would be, but there were really no twists at any point. Unfortunately, this led to a situation where I thought up all these brilliant twists, and then none of them ever came true, which left me disappointed, through all fault of my own. But still.

5. The audiobook will be fantastic. And it is. I recommend it.

6. The writing style and voice will be solid. And they are.

This is my first Silvera novel, though I own 2 others. I believe I will read them, but I confess I’m a bit nervous now.

One thing to prepare for, the book is full of loss on every single front. However, don't get too anxious, because it didn't make me cry. There were some sad undertones, but it was not nearly as emotionally resonant as I expected.

Basically every teenage character in this book has lost a parent, their whole family, their lover, and/or all of those. I’m sure it’s to help with the overwhelming theme of loss, but it becomes so many characters that have experienced loss (with no real explanations of why the world is like this), that it starts to lose value. There’s just no contrast at all, and the reality of loss is that it is made more powerful when shown head to head with its opposite. I feel less interested in every new person’s sad backstory, because it’s just another modification of the previous character’s sad backstory.

Honestly, this book is probably a 3.5 for me. I would have given it more of a 4.5, earlier on, but the last 1/4 of the book fell pretty flat for me. It didn't even devastate me, which is a strike against it when it comes to this sort of topic.

I know the author put a lot of love and hard work into this. I can feel that in the way he writes the characters. I appreciate the diversity, as well. I still enjoyed it overall, and it made some lovely points about the ways people choose to live their lives, also, the way they don’t choose but still go on living their lives.

I would recommend this to others, because I still loved the two main characters and the concept. I just think people will enjoy the ride more if they keep their expectations low and accept it for what it is, instead of wanting it to be something it isn't ever going to be.

Also, one final note. This could have been a terrific Sci-Fi novel, but really all those elements are left out. So basically it's a Sci-Fi world, written like a contemporary novel. That might also be part of the reason it fell flat for me, because I love Sci-Fi and don't like the false promise of something more exciting, only to be tricked by another contemporary novel about love, loss, and personal growth.

Pages: 384

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Summary: Aileana Kameron is intent on avenging her mother's death...by hunting and killing every fae in Scotland. She has help from a pixie, a Seer and even a powerful fae himself, Kiaran MacKay. 

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It's steampunk, faery-hunting and historical Scotland all rolled into one quirky and quickly-moving story. The action scenes were my favorite parts, and the author doesn't get bogged down in filler. It isn't perfect, but still enjoyable. 

Favorite Quote: "I want to be there with you until the end." 

378 pages

Broken Harbor by Tana French

Broken Harbor by Tana French
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I did not enjoy this book as much as I did French's The Likeness, which I found phenomenal. Nonetheless, Broken Harbor was entertaining and thought-provoking. As in The Likeness, the consequences of urban sprawl, play a role.

456 pages.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was even better than I thought it would be, not than I expected something less than incredible from Leigh Bardugo. She's one of my favorites, but there are so many superhero remakes, that it often worries me.

I guess I feel like sometimes there's a limit when it comes to superhero stories, a point at which they start to seem repetitive or like there's too much of the same, which is why I liked this so much. This entire story is pre-Wonder Woman. It's just about Diana when she's young, and it includes some fascinating characters and enjoyable friendships.

There's plenty of intrigue and action scenes to keep things exciting, and the side characters are quirky, diverse, and lovable. The villain is well-developed. I listened to the audiobook, which was very good and narrated by Mozhan Marno.

This story only increased my fascination with Wonder Woman, and I continue to feel very sorry for myself that I can't live on Themyscira.

Pages: 384

A Wave From Mama by A, Robert Allen

Set in Brooklyn New York during and immediately after the Civil War, this novel explores the tension between the Irish and free blacks through the story of a young boy who witnesses his mother's murder during the Draft Riots.

Emotionally scarred and determined to find and kill those who killed his murder, he lashes out at everyone he meets. But he is taken in and nurtured through it by a loving family, and goes on to work on the Brooklyn Bridge during its construction.

248 pages

Lucky by Alice Sebold

Alice Sebold was an 18-year-old college student at Syracuse University when she was brutally  raped and beaten in a park near the campus.  In this memoir,  the author of 'The Lovely Bones' shows how such a senseless act of violence profoundly changes the entire course of a life.

274 pages

Honor's Knight (Paradox #2) by Rachel Bach

Summary: "After a mysterious attack left [Devi Morris] short several memories and one partner, she's determined to keep her head down, do her job, and get on with her life. But even though Devi's not actually looking for it, trouble keeps finding her. She sees things no one else can, the black stain on her hands is growing, and she's entangled with the cook she thought she hated."

Even though I adored Fortune's Pawn, this second installment in the Paradox series fell flat. The adventure was stale and the plot developments were boring and confusing. I still love Devi's voice, personality and grim determination, but I felt at times that the fun of the first book was lost. I hope the third and final book will prove to be a satisfying conclusion. 

375 pages

Too Late by Colleen Hoover

Too Late by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story is nonlinear and full of drama and tragedy.

I love Colleen Hoover. This is one of her earliest novels. It’s not my favorite, but it was still a captivating read. It’s a bit strange how the Epilogue starts at the last 1/3 of the book, but you don’t exactly stay in the Epilogue. I think the format shows experimentation by an early author. I don’t mind that, because the writing is still solid. She kept my attention throughout, and I enjoyed the characters overall. Her later works are better, but that’s not shocking. Everyone starts somewhere.

Pages: 395

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Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer Armentrout

Summary: "Kat struggles to stay away from Daemon Black, despite being connected to him through his alien powers, and when the Department of Defense comes to town she fears what will happen if they discover what Daemon can do and that she is linked to him."

Onyx wasn't quite as thrilling as Obsidian, but it was still a fun and solid sequel. Kat is growing as a character, which is nice to watch unfold. She is becoming quite powerful, and it is interesting to see how Daemon responds to Kat's capabilities. 

366 pages

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a good read. I listened to the audio by Claire Danes. It's obviously depressing, and sometimes it is description heavy in a way that can be a bit tedious. Also, the ending is ambiguous. However, that didn't bother me, so much as it just took me by surprise, initially.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I think I'll try some others by Margaret Atwood. Also, I started the TV series on Hulu. It's good so far, though I don't always feel they do a good job of pairing the soundtrack to the emotion of the scenes.

Pages: 311

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie Fraser is a former Jacobite and rather unwilling participant in the American Revolution, but he chose rebellion because he was certain of several things: The Americans will win, though fighting on the side of victory would not ensure his survival, and the last thing he wanted to do was face his illegitimate son, a lieutenant in the British army, down the barrel of a gun. Claire Fraser, Jamie's wife, has assured him of victory---something she can guarantee because she is a time-traveler. What she does not know, however, is what the price will be. The price will not include Jamie's life or happiness, at least not if she has anything to say about it. Meanwhile, Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna, and her husband, Roger, reside in the relative safety of the twentieth century with their children. They have settled in Lallybroch, Jamie's ancestral home, and maintain a connection with Brianna's parents through a series of letters they were careful to leave behind. As Brianna and Roger comb the fragile pages for clues to the fate of Claire and Jamie, they learn just how closely their lives are linked.

Book 7 in the Outlander series. 814 pages.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like this. I don't totally love it, but John Green writes great characters. I liked the characters far better than the actual story, which didn't really hold my interest. But the characters were fantastic and well worth my time.

Pages: 229

Cheater by Rachel Van Dyken

Cheater by Rachel Van Dyken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I needed something dramatic and angsty that was easy to read to get me out of my book funk. This worked pretty well for that. It's surprisingly funny, mostly predictable, but still enjoyable.

The writing style is . . . unexpected. I actually preferred the audiobook. When I switched to text, the strange sentence structures, while fascinating, sometimes distracted me from the actual story. It's one of those books that sounds better out loud, due to it's snarky, conversational tone, and reading the text is more jarring than hearing it, for some reason.

Pages: 317

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely adorable. I read it straight through and didn't regret a second. The audiobook, in particular, is excellent, with two fantastic narrators in Sneha Mathan and Vikas Adam. I would definitely recommend this to others.

The premise: Dimple's parents allow her to go to a 6 week summer coding class the summer before college only because they want her to meet Rishi, her potential future husband. Needless to say, Dimple's not very interested in marriage or looking pretty, when she could be coding.

There are a few things about this delightful book that I felt could have been even better (the pacing, particularly in the last half), which would have made me love it at 5 star power. Those of you who know I typically rate high might realize that a 4 can be a bit of a flat rating for me, but this is not a flat book.

For a book set in such a fascinating world (in my mind) as Insomnia Con, I would have loved to see some actual world building there. Basically there was almost none, outside of the basics of getting started. We didn't even get to see the depths that participants went to in order to complete their apps (including Dimple and Rishi who spent more time dancing than coding), and there were tons of other students in the program who we never really got to meet or understand.

Some of the main side characters didn't really seem like the types to attend such a long, intensive summer camp. They were more interested in their wealth and popularity than actual coding, so I'm slightly disappointed in the fact that Insomnia Con could have been the most exciting and fascinating world of intellect, diversity, and nerdery ever and... it just wasn't. Instead, it was more of a romantic plot tool, and the majority of scenes weren't even really about the summer camp or the project, both of which were more interesting to me than the characters going out for dinner over and over again.

So it lost a star for world building failures, and it should probably lose a second star, in all honesty for the last 1/3 of the book, which had major pacing issues and a few moments that made me reconsider if I actually knew and liked Dimple. I know they were there again for "plot" tools, but I hate seeing a character bring out a particularly bad, unflattering behavior/quality at the end of the book and then not really address or atone for it.

However, I did think this was a fun, fast, lighthearted read that made me smile. A lot. So it still gets 4 stars, even though I just overthought it so much I almost reduced a star. There's still a lot of good here. There's still a lot to enjoy in the different ways both Dimple and Rishi consider and react with their cultures, both as Indian-American and as Indian. I enjoyed the culture of this book in general and thought that was a real strong point. It showed the different ways people feel and react, when they're born into one culture/place but raised mostly inside another.

Yes, that helped. Now I do feel it definitely deserves those 4 stars. Just realize that you have to enjoy it for the overall journey, rather than the plot and world building, which both are lacking, particularly as the story progress. I still think the interesting main characters will see you through to the end, so give it a go.

Pages: 380

Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach

Summary: "When professional mercenary Deviana Morris took the security guard job aboard the Glorious Fool, all she wanted was a fast route into the Devastators -- the elite league of armored fighters entrusted with the most important duty on her home planet of Paradox. But this security job isn't just twelve-hour patrols, armor-polishing, and whiskey. The supposedly-cursed Captain Caldswell keeps sending Devi and her partner into unimaginably dangerous situations."

I've been in the mood for an awesome, adventure-packed space novel, and Fortune's Pawn fit the bill! The first installment in the Paradox series was fun, suspenseful and interesting. I loved Devi as a brave and determined heroine. She was well-rounded, clever and still flawed. I can't wait to read the next one!

340 pages