The time I reviewed a book -- 6

Susan Bishop Crispell has always been a huge supporter of this blog, so when she emailed me to ask if I would be interested in reading her book and doing a review for the blog tour, I jumped at the chance to support her. 

But before we get to the review, let's check out the book, yes?

For Jaclyn “Jack” Pace, sensing what sweets people crave is as easy as breathing. But it’s not enough to keep her cupcake bakery in the black.

So, when her estranged sister Harper comes back to town with an affinity for making art out of icing—and a past full of secrets—she reluctantly gives Harper a job and a place to crash.

As their sisterly relationship begins to thaw, the one with her business partner Graham starts to heat up. Given the legend that says Hollingsworth men will recognize their soul mates at first touch, Jack’s always been resigned to the fact that she’s not his.

But when she starts sensing desires that are decidedly not dessert-related, it’ll take all of her magic to set things right with customers and make her own desires come true.

Love and Cupcakes is a delightfully sweet and sensual romance from Susan Bishop Crispell.

Sounds good, right?  Now for the review....

**Thanks to my pretty prancy PA AKA Christina from The Book Hookup for letting me steal borrow her review format**

Rating & First Reaction:

4 stars. I love the idea of a person who can sense what people want in flavors and cupcakes are a win-win in my book. Throw in a sort of BFF-to-more situation set in the south and I'm in.

MCs:

Jaclyn: I really liked Jack.  She's been in love with Graham pretty much her entire life, but hasn't really done anything about it.  She's an every day type of person, aside from her magical ability [which only gets a vague description as to how it all started] and loves cupcakes.  Her idea to start a business formed quickly and it has become quite a passion.

What really sold me on her, was the scene where she names an oven.  I name pretty much all of my electronics and cars, so seeing her do something that I do all the time made me really relate to her.  I also wanted to hug her a lot.

Graham: He's a baker. Do I need to say more? Okay...fine. He's been raised to believe that the men in his family will know their soul mate upon touching them for the first time, so he's hesitant to believe anything he feels.  We don't really get a lot of details on this phenomenon of sorts and even though we do get some Graham POV, he seems to be just as confused about it as I was.

His attentiveness to Jack is adorable and their mounting attraction [and his struggle] was interesting to read. I absolutely loved the requisite big brother talk between Graham and Hutton, even though there were times I wanted to throw some punches myself.

There were swoons sprinkled about in the story, but I'll leave those for you to find.  I will tell you that you should prepare yourself for an ungodly amount of UST, brief touches and across-the-room stares filled with longing. 

Secondary characters:

Harper: The baby of the family, she sarcastic, headstrong and adds a lot of levity throughout.  She's also hiding a few things herself. Harper's story is revealed to us in increments and I really liked it that way.  I enjoyed reading into every nuance and dissecting conversations to see if I could figure it out.

Hutton: As Jack's and Harper's older brother, he provides a lot of the conflict in the book. I don't want to say too much about him because I don't want to spoil anything.  I will say that he's exactly what I imagine a big brother would be like. 

Townspeople: Being set in the south, you know there's going to be a lot of nosy, fun characters and this book didn't disappoint.  I loved both Jack's and Graham's "mama" and the extra characters that I won't mention due to spoilers all made for a delicious assortment of personalities.

Plot & Pacing:

It was a bit of a slow burn for me.  There was a lot of build up with the past relationships of everyone involved.  And when we finally get the big reveal between Graham and Jack, the book is pretty much over.  I would have liked to have had more of their HEA, instead of the seemingly abrupt ending we got, but all in all, it was hopeful and happy.

Also, a little more of a background on both Jack's and Graham's abilities would have been good. We got brief explanations of both, but there was a definite opportunity to make it something more.  And of course, because I'm a greedy whore, an epilogue [or even one more chapter] would have been perfection. 

Rec It?

Yes.  If you're in the mood for a sweet, magical romance that's heavy on the sugar and cupcakes, this book is for you.

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Huge thanks to Susan for the invitation and to Swoon Romance for providing the arc! Make sure you're following Susan on Twitter, liking her Facebook page, subscribing to her blog and adding Love & Cupcakes to your GoodReads shelf.

The time it was about Bitter Pill

I signed up for Stacey Kade's blog tour for Bitter Pill because I really enjoyed The Rules and was really intrigued about this particular premise. Down below you'll find my review for the book as well as an interview with Stacey.

But before we get to all of that, let's check out the book, shall we?

The truth is a bitter pill...

Rennie Harlow is having a bad year. She had a handsome husband, a good job, and a renovated condo in Chicago. Now, thanks to one "exotically beautiful" paralegal, she’s divorced, faking her way through a writing career, and living above her hypochondriac mother's garage back in Morrisville, the small town she couldn't leave fast enough at eighteen. On top of all of that, she just found Doc Hallacy, the local pharmacist, dead behind his counter. And the worst part is, he's the third body she’s stumbled across this year.

Jake Bristol has lived in Morrisville his whole life. A former bad boy turned sheriff, he doesn’t believe it’s just Rennie’s luck or timing that’s the problem. He thinks she’s too nosy for her own good. The last thing he needs is her messing around with his murder investigation so that she can freelance for the Morrisville Gazette. But as they both delve deeper into Doc's death, they find that things don't add up. This isn't a robbery gone wrong or the work of a desperate junkie. Someone has a secret they're killing to keep. The only question is—who's next?

**Thanks to my pretty prancy PA, Christina from The Book Hookup, for letting me steal borrow her review format!**

Rating & First Reaction:

4.5 stars.  I really enjoyed this story.  It was a quick, entertaining read that left me wanting more.  No, really.  I hope there's more [and I'll be bugging Stacey about this] because the ending nearly had me screaming.  If it wasn't for the "The End" on the bottom of the page, I would have thought there was a problem with my e-book... 

MCs:

Rennie: Recently divorced, Rennie comes back to her small town home to live with her mom. She's quick to find trouble and whether she likes it or not, realizes that she has feelings for the very married sheriff. I feel like Rennie is the type of girl who would get arrested when she goes out with a group of friends, but not for anything serious.  It would be for something trivial law like wearing flip-flops while walking down a sidewalk on a Tuesday afternoon.  Does that make sense?

I loved being in her head.  She's hurting over the situation that she's in, but by the end of the book, I knew that she was strong enough to get through it all.  Even if we don't get anything else from these characters, I'm certain that Rennie is going to prevail in whatever she does.

Bristol: He is a good, strong man. A stand up man with convictions.  Bristol loves his job, the law in general, and seems to see most of his life in the same sort black and white. Except when it comes to Rennie, she's very much a grey area. The sparks between Rennie and him are very apparent and even if he's aware of the town whispering, he never shows it. I would have loved to have gotten even one chapter from his point of view [hint, hint], I'm very interested in the maybe history he and Rennie had...

There weren't swoons in the conventional way, but there were some moments where I gasped at what was happening.  But, as River Song says, spoilers.

Secondary Characters:

Max: Editor of the town newspaper and Rennie's sort of boss.  He's a Morrisville transplant and definitely gives off the vibe of "big, bad city guy".  But, under all of that gruff exterior, there's a bit of a gooey inside. His exchanges with Rennie are interesting.  His respect for her writing shows and sometimes it felt like there was a sort of father/daughter relationship, but it was the mood swings and erratic behavior that kept me curious.

The Rest of the Town: There's quite a mix of people in the small town of Morrisville and while we only got snippets of most of them, there are a few that I should have added to this.  However, I don't want to spoil anything, I want you to experience them for yourself and trust no one. Perhaps you'll be able to pick out the killer. ;)

Plot & Pacing:

Well, it doesn't get any faster than starting the book out with having the MC find a dead body. This book is fast paced from the get go.  There were several components happening all at the same time.  Not only is it a whodunnit, but there's a real exploration of different types of relationships that made for some interesting scenes.  There were some definite twists that I didn't see coming.  I spent the entire book thinking I knew who was behind all of it and I was way way off.

Rec It?

Absolutely. If you're looking for a fun murder/mystery with a sharp, trouble finding heroine and a smoldering, but straight laced sheriff, this one is for you.

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And now for the interview!

1. Where did the idea for Bitter Pill come from?

A couple of different places, actually. It's the only one of my books where a dream played a role. I woke up from a nap one day with the phrase "Pharmacists know all of our dirty secrets" running through my head. Then I had to figure out what that meant, in terms of a story.

But the idea for Rennie's personal life and her decision to go back home actually came from an incident in my newlywed days. My brand-new husband and I were arguing, likely over something stupid, like who emptied the dishwasher last, and I wanted nothing more than to walk out the door in a grand dramatic exit and slam the door after me. (No worries; the husband and I have been married form almost 15 years now!)

But I realized then, for the first time, that there wasn't a place for me to go. Once you're married, you've kind of tossed your lot in with someone else's...no matter how infrequently they unload the dishwasher. :)

So I gave that place to Rennie and tried to figure out what one does when one's life implodes, as hers had.

By the time my husband tracked me down in the downstairs family room, I was in full note-taking mode and not angry anymore! :D

2. What do you love most about Rennie and Jake and why should we root for them?

Jake Bristol is one of the most honorable men/characters I've ever written, I think. I both love and hate him for that. I want him to give in to temptation, but I know, as Rennie does, that it might change who he is, if he does. He's a total white hat but so very human and trapped in a bad marriage. To me, it was interesting to see which side of him would win out.

He needs Rennie because she is someone who sees him for who is is as a person, rather that a status symbol. And her wholehearted belief in his goodness/honor (vs. her lying, cheating ex) is what draws him to her and also makes things complicated. We all want someone who believes the best of us, you know? But if he follows through, then will Rennie see him as that good man? Will he be able to believe it himself?

Rennie is, I hope, one of those complicated people. She knows exactly how awful it is to have someone you love betray you with another person, and yet, she's dancing on the edge of being "the other person" and playing a role in the destruction of someone else's marriage. She's trying to figure out who she is and what she's capable of (good and bad). She's been battered and tossed around by her circumstances, and she has to figure out whether she's going to rise above and be the person who is worthy of Bristol, even if that means, rather contradictorily, that she can't have him.

You should root for them because they are two people who belong together. :) What remains to be seen is whether the world will cooperate with that idea.

3. What was the weirdest thing you googled while researching? 

I don't know that I googled anything all that strange, but I had a very detailed and awkward conversation with a lovely and obliging pharmacist about what kind of pills could be used to drug someone without their knowledge and how that might happen. It was one of those moments where I was pretty sure the phrase, "I promise, Officer, it's research for a book," was going to become very relevant to my life.

4. What was your favorite part about writing this book?

I loved writing this book. I cackled with glee every night when I settled in to write. It is almost an homage to all the mystery novels I loved as a kid (Rennie is my grown-up version of Nancy Drew) and I was writing it just for me, just for fun. I loved sticking Rennie in situations and then watching everything go wrong.

5. Describe Bitter Pill in 5 words.

A funny, small town mystery.

Speed [ish] round:

1. You get the call/email/letter that says you're being published for the first time. What happens next?

Does "shriek in disbelief and sheer joy" count as an action? :) Because that's exactly what happened.

2. What three things would you take to a desert island?

Short of a helicopter, an experienced pilot and a book to read on the flight of the island? I'd have to say sunblock, an iPad (with an endless battery and internet access) and an inflated air mattress. Sand makes me itchy.

3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

4. What are you reading right now?

Parasite by Mira Grant

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Huge thanks to Samantha at CLP for providing the review copy and to Stacey for taking the time to answer my questions!  Make sure you're following her on Twitter, liking her Facebook page, subscribing to her blog and adding all of her books on your GoodReads shelves. 

Annnnnnnd?

If you head over to the CLP Blog tour page and leave a comment, you'll be entered to win all sorts of goodies.  You can also check out all of the other tour stops!

The time I reviewed a book -- 4

Here we are for week 5 of the Sassy Girl Swoony God Tourney.  The challenge this week was to read and review My Date from Hell, which is book 2 in the Blooming Goddess series. 

Now, this challenge is sort of bittersweet for me.  Yes, I adore reading and reviewing, but if any of you are friends with me on GoodReads, I'm sure you've noticed that the more I like a book, the less I have to say about it.

Before we see what sort of incessant rambling I'm going to try and pass off as a review, let's look at the book, shall we?

Sophie Bloom’s junior year has been a bit of a train wreck. After the world’s greatest kiss re-awakened Sophie’s true identity as Persephone (Goddess of Spring and Savior of Humanity), she fought her dragon-lady guidance counselor to the death, navigated mean girl Bethany’s bitchy troublemaking, and dealt with the betrayal of her backstabbing ex, Kai (sexy Prince of Darkness). You’d think a girl could catch a break.

Yeah, right.

With Zeus stepping things up, it’s vital that Sophie retrieve Persephone’s memories and discover the location of the ritual to stop Zeus and Hades. So when Aphrodite strikes a deal that can unlock Sophie’s pre-mortal past, what choice does the teen goddess have but to accept?

The mission: stop media mogul Hermes from turning Bethany into a global mega-celebrity. The catch? Aphrodite partners Sophie and Kai to work together … and treat this suicide mission as a date. Which could work out for Sophie’s plan to force Kai to admit his feelings for her–if she doesn’t kill him first.

Add to that the fact that BFF Theo’s love life and other BFF Hannah’s actual life are in Sophie’s hands, and suddenly being a teenager—even a godlike one—seems a bit like … well, hell. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie?

The YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology fireworks continue to fly in My Date From Hell. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book two of this teen fantasy romance series. Breaking up is easy; dating is deadly.

**Thanks to my prancy PA, Christina, from The Book Hookup, for letting me steal borrow her review format!**

Rating & First Reaction:

5 stars. I also added it to my "I want to hang out with these characters" and "snark fest" shelves.  I reread My Ex From Hell before reading Date and absolutely loved being back in this world with these characters.  Sophie's inner monologue is one of the best out there and coupled with her awesome friends, Date was a lot of fun.

MCs:

Sophie: The snark is strong with this one and it's one of my favorite attributes of Sophie's. She does struggle with the memory of Persephone, or more that she struggles with everyone else remembering someone that she doesn't know.  To me, that just made her more relatable. What girl doesn't struggle with self-confidence at some point in their life? However, Sophie doesn't let it get her down.  She uses the skills she has to get through the challenges of the book [I'm being intentionally vague] while maintaining her epic awesomeness.  Did I mention that she's awesome?

Kai: There was a lot more of Kai in this book and the chemistry between him and Sophie was pretty much off the charts. There's a lot going on with Kai this time around and it's humorous to see the situations that he's put in. However, he's the same delightfully cocky Kai that he was in Ex. Well, maybe not exactly the same, but...spoilers.

And the swoons? They're plentiful, but I'll let you find those on your own.

Secondary Characters:

Hannah and Theo: Yep, they're still awesome. Did you like them in Ex? Then you'll love them in Date.

Festos: OMG, I want one.  Festos was my favorite character of this book and I wanted him in every single scene.  He's feisty and fierce and loyal to a fault and a perfect addition to the cast of characters. Festos breaks up a lot of the tension by injecting comments here and there. His dialogue was the main reason for all of my cackles and I found myself rereading a lot of his scenes. FYI: if you don't like him, I'm pretty sure we're not friends.

Persephone: For a character who isn't really on the page, Persephone certainly does have a presence in the book.  Tellulah does an excellent job of inserting her in the most interesting scenes and sitting back to watch the sparks fly.

Plot & Pacing:

Date picks up pretty much right after the end of Ex [which I loved] and the fun starts right away. We also don't have to wait forever for Kai and Sophie to interact, it's within the first couple of chapters.  As soon as the gang is all together, it's non-stop action and adventure.  The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger.  There's two huge reveals and then a WTF moment all in the last 10 or so pages.  I need book 3 like yesterday.

Rec It?

A million times yes. My Date From Hell continues the awesome journey that Sophie is on.  If you love snarky girls, swoony gods and delicious banter on almost every page, this is for you.

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Huge thanks to Tellulah, not only for inviting me to be part of the challenge, but for the e-arc.  You guys really should check out her blog and be following her on Twitter and Facebook.  And don't forget to add all of her books to your GoodReads TBR shelf.

The time it wasn't my review

For this week's Throne of Glass Ambassador post, it was all about our reviews of Crown of Midnight.  Well, considering my reviews are usually flailing gibberish only a couple of sentences long, I asked Jaime and Erin if they would let me post their reviews. [Technically, I asked Jaime if I could use them.] I figured it would be as close to what I would say, if I was able to articulate my feels in words...
 
So, without further ado, here are their awesome reviews:
 
Jaime: 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What did I think?

 

I finished this book days ago and I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out what to say and I keep seeing reviews that are popping up and I get all flaily because I’m like “HOW DO YOU HAVE THE WORDS FOR THIS ALREADY!!”

 

Book 2 in the Throne of Glass series is … dare I say it… even better than the first, and I loved the first. The writing has gotten tighter, more detailed and I was completely blown away. In Crown of Midnight we pick up with Celaena as the King’s Assassin and he is using her abilities and skills to his fullest advantage, sending her on quests to rid the kingdom of all those who might be in cahoots against him. (yes I said cahoots) We pick up book 2 as Celaena is on one such mission. Her return is dramatic and both Dorian and Chaol struggle to reconcile the girl they know with what she is doing.

"Is it done?"

Celaena reached a gloved hand into the sack and tossed the severed head toward him. No one spoke as it bounced, a vulgar thudding of stiff and rotting flesh on marble. It rolled to a stop at the foot of the dais, milky eyes turned towards the ornate glass chandelier overhead.

Dorian straightened, glancing away from the head. Chaol just stared at her.

"He put up a fight," Celaena said.

But she’s keeping a secret from them. One that could jeopardize everyone she cares about if it gets out. But the King is up to no good himself of course… only what exactly hasn’t quite been uncovered yet! 

So yeah… I’m being incredibly vague about all the things. That’s intentional. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s reading of this book even by accident by spilling too much detail about what is actually going on. There is so much that happens in this installment of the story that I’m afraid anything specific I might say will give too much away.

SO – let’s do this a different way – My top 5 reasons you need to read the Throne of Glass Series … NOW!

1. Chaol - From the beginning of book 1 I have had a crush on the Captain of the Guard and this book has solidified that crush for me. I mean… GAH!!!

"Believe me, Celaena," he snarled, his eyes flashing, "I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens."

She blinked. "Oh," was all she managed.

But Chaol struggles with his feelings for Celaena. He’s not willing to put himself out there and jeopardize his standing, so he keeps his distance… or he tries anyway.

"Dance with me Celaena," He said again, his voice rough.

When her eyes found his, she forgot about the cold, and the moon, and the glass palace looming above them. The secret library and the king's plans and Mort and Elena faded into nothing. She took his hand, and there was only the music and Chaol.

His fingers were warm, even through his gloves. He slid his other hand around her waist as she braced one of hers on his arm. She looked up at him when he began to move - a slow step, then another, and another, easing into the steady rhythm of the waltz.

He stared back at her, neither of them smiling - somehow beyond smiling at that moment. The waltz built, louder, faster, and Chaol steered her into it, never stumbling.

Her breathing turned uneven, but she couldn't look away from him, couldn't stop dancing. The moonlight and the garden and the golden glow of the ballroom blurred together, no miles away. "We'll never be a normal boy and girl, will we?' she managed to say.

"No," he breathed, eyes blazing, "we won't."

2. Celaena is just as kick-ass as she was in book 1 and yet she’s still a girl at heart! That was one of the reasons I loved her so much in Throne of Glass too. She is so badass … this cold blooded killer, yet she loves clothes, shopping, and when she’s at a ball, she doesn’t want to be part of the security, she wants to dance! I mean the dichotomy of the two people she is, is just so wonderfully done and makes her so unique as a character.

3. Dorian – yes even though he’s NOT my favorite he has a big impact on this story and we learn some pretty amazing things about him… things that he struggles to make sense of and understand. Plus the evolution of his and Celaena's relationship is done amazingly well. Even though there are things somewhat unresolved between them, they truly are friends and seeing them put any differences they might have aside and hold onto that very important thing was wonderful.

4. The amazing writing – Sarah has crafted an incredible world and story in the Throne of Glass series. I can’t even do it justice by trying to explain it here. BUT Crown of Midnight is even better than Throne of Glass (I know... you're like 'how is that possible Jaime??') … I’m not even sure how to explain it other than the writing is tighter and the story is even more engrossing than the first and you get to learn so much more about the magical world and a few big secrets are revealed. The characters jump off the page at you and you can’t help but to feel all the emotions they are.

 

5. The FEELS – Holy mother of all things, I think Sarah was trying to make me feel EVERYTHING with this one. I found myself laughing, smiling, swooning, crying, throwing things, sighing in happiness, and gasping in shock. Everything that I want and need in a book.

So there you have it… there are a million more reasons you should be reading this series but these are my top five. I know I’m not alone when I tell you that this is a must read when it arrives this summer. This was the one book I wasn’t leaving BEA without… I couldn’t put it down once I started and I know you’ll feel the same once you get reading. Sarah Maas has an incredible series on her hands, and I’m so excited to see where the next book in the series takes us. In the meantime I’ll be over here reading and rereading the first two … join me please!!

Dear Sarah Maas ...

Thank you to Bloomsbury for having enough copies at BEA and being so kind as to hand one to me.

Erin:

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 gazillion stars for this - it was so good I can't even put words together about it right now. 

So, I have done my best not to completely fangirl as well as give anything away here.  Continue reading with the idea that I had to completely hold myself back and if you have not started this series yet...what the heck are you waiting for...seriously - go do it now.

I've been waiting what feels like forever for this book and boy did Sarah Maas come through. This was the one book I had to leave BEA with and thank the lord I got my hands on a copy. If it would have any influence whatsoever, I would offer up cookies or my first born child for the next book - just putting that out there.

Crown of Midnight picks up with Celaena acting as the King's Champion. A lot happens in this book and there is also a lot revealed. I'm not going to go into any of it because I don't want to give it away but if you enjoyed Throne of Glass, you will really like book two. I felt like the pacing was well done and it was the perfect mix of action, mystery, swoon and snarky banter.

Celaena is still one of my favorite characters...ever. She is still arrogant, tough, smart and sarcastic and I love this about her. She also now has people that care about her and that she cares about. Celaena knows she is playing a dangerous game that could end badly (for her, Chaol, and/or Princess Nehemia) but she is willing to take chances and do what she feels is necessary to stand up to the King. There was also a point in the book where it was clear she is good at what she does and seeing it through Chaol's eyes made it even more impactful.

"She was a whirlwind of steel and blood. As he watched her cut through the men like they were stalks of wheat in a field, he understood how she had gotten so close to touching Endovier's wall that day. And at last - after all these months - he saw the lethal predator he'd expected to find in the mines. There was nothing human in her eyes, nothing remotely merciful. It froze his heart."

 

The love triangle still slightly exists but not in a way that overpowers the rest of the story and not in the way you would normally assume when you hear love triangle. It is key to the progression of the story and allows us to see just how much Chaol and Celaena are fighting their attraction to each other. It also shows us how their interactions are impacting Dorian and his feelings for both Celaena and Chaol.

Chaol - I love him. It is as simple as that. He truly cares for Celaena and he forces her to see things that she normally wouldn't and that is probably what I loved the most about their friendship/relationship. 
 
"Believe me, Celaena, " he snarled, his eyes flashing, "I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens."

She blinked. "Oh," was all she managed.

I mean...that alone is enough to make me love him. Add in the 50 other items I tagged in my book and you would probably agree with me.

I loved seeing the evolution of Celaena's relationship with Dorian. We know from ToG that Celaena has put a stop to any potential relationship with him but Dorian is still trying to get beyond that. Eventually they come to rely on each other for support during some very difficult times where both of them are questioning who they are and their purpose. Celaena's relationship with Princess Nehemia is just as strong as it was in ToG and she is her first real girl friend. When something happens that really tests Celaena, my heart was truly breaking.

Can I just say - there are so many swoony moments and parts I loved that I thought I was going to run out of sticky tabs to mark them in my book. Once you read this, you will completely agree with me and see why Chaol will be on my favorites list forever.

So there you have it. I don't think I gave away any secrets here. If you enjoy fantasy and a great story that just happens to include some of my favorite characters EVER, I highly recommend you check this out. Maas does a wonderful job of creating characters you can care about as well as a great story that just sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages until you get to the very end. I was unable to put this down and can't wait until book three comes out...that's soon, right??

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See? What else could I possibly have to say about Crown of Midnight that Jaime and Erin didn't already say? 

Huge thanks, undying love and devotion and all of the signed books to both of them for letting me post their fantastic reviews.  Definitely go check out their blog: Fic Fare

Now.  Have you read Crown of Midnight? What was your favorite part?

The time I reveiwed a book -- 3

I read Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey right when it came out and was instantly in love with the story.  I was one of the people who were absolutely thrilled to see that there was going to be a companion novel.  And then Mary messaged me asking me if I wanted an arc in exchange for a review.  My answer was something along the lines of:

Before my attempt at a proper review, let's check out the book!

Title: Fragile Spirits [Souls #2]

Author: Mary Lindsey

Published: January 23, 2014

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin

Pages: 320 

Synopsis: Paul has always known he was a Protector, fated to serve a Speaker who could hear the voices of spirits lingering after death and help those souls find peace.

Vivienne ignores the voices of the dead.

Paul has always followed the Protector’s rule book, preparing diligently for the day when he’d be matched with his Speaker and fulfill his destiny.

Vivienne never does what she’s told.

So when Paul is matched with Vivienne, they both find the pairing less than satisfactory. But a kidnapping, a malevolent spirit and power stronger than both of them may just prove that they are two halves of the same whole.

In a stunning story about the beauty of fate and the power of secrets, Mary Lindsey returns to the world of Shattered Souls with a breathtaking thrill-ride of a novel.

**Thanks to my prancy PA, Christina, from The Book Hookup, for letting me steal borrow her review format!**

Rating & First Reaction:

4.5 stars.  The first thing that I noticed right off the bat is that this is not a continuation of Lenzi & Alden's story. Yes, they are in the story, but as secondary characters. If you're going into Fragile Spirits looking for all Lenzi & Alden all the time, you won't find it.

Fragile Spirits tells the story of two people who are fairly new to the Intercessor Council as they try to find their way around their new roles in a working relationship together. And it's a fantastic ride.

MCs:

Paul: He is a straight-laced, by-the-book kind of guy. He's been around the IC for a while and it shows. I loved the loyalty that just shined out of Paul in all of his actions.  His quiet watchfulness starts to fall away and the growth of his character was enjoyable to read.  As the book progresses, we get to see quite a few sides to Paul, yet his overall goal to be a Protector remains intact.

Vivienne: She is Paul's exact opposite.  She's outspoken, brash, a little volatile, insanely smart, and has awesome hot pink hair. I instantly fell in love with her sass, snark and banter with nearly every character in the book.  Vivienne is used to being on her own, so when she starts to trust the group she works with, it electrifies her. She is sort of forced into her role as a Speaker, but it becomes clear that she's really good at it [in a sort of unconventional way].

And the swoons? They come from Vivienne:

"I wonder what your lips feel like"

"Can I ride with you? .... I'd rather be with you than anyone."

Secondary Characters:

Race: He is snarky and provides a bit of comic relief when it's really needed. He is fiercely dedicated to the IC and his family of Speakers and Protectors.  Race is a lot of fun, but I feel like we haven't even scratched the surface of his character. I would have loved to see more of him. 

Lenzi & Alden: It was awesome to see them again, even as secondary characters.  They have some great scenes [and one that is just so heartbreaking], as well as provide a great Speaker/Protector relationship for Paul to observe. Their presence was just enough to remind me that I needed to reread Shattered Souls ASAP.

Plot & Pacing:

For me, Fragile Spirits, was very character driven.  While story plot line was pretty straight forward [and is revealed pretty early in the story], we only get snippets of the characters.  Mary reveals important back story for both Paul and Vivienne in increments. Not one to wait patiently, I would normally be losing my mind over getting tidbits.  However, this works perfectly.  It kept the story moving right along and kept me furiously turning the pages.

Rec It?

Absolutely.  Fragile Spirits has dynamic character relationships and is an awesome ride through the spooky world of spirits and possession. 

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Huge thanks and undying love and devotion to Mary for offering the arc!! Check out her website, Twitter and Facebook pages. And don't forget to add all of her books on GoodReads!!

The time I reviewed a book -- 2

Okay.  Another book has captured my brain and held it hostage. I know that I said I wouldn't do reviews all the time, but I refuse to take the blame for this.  I'm holding Susan Dennard completely responsible for creating such an phenomenal world and characters.  It's her fault that I can't get Something Strange and Deadly out of my head. 

First of all, look at that cover.  It's gorgeous.  The colors.  The model.  The gears behind her.  The font.  Everything about this cover makes me happy. 

I had heard the buzz about Something Strange and Deadly right from the beginning.  I put it on my "to buy" list and figured I'd buy it eventually.  And then I saw Susan tweet something about how it was going to be on sale at CC before it was officially released.  Annnnnd, I'm not one to skip that sort of opportunity.

But, let's get down to business.  Here are the reasons I'm horribly in love with this book.

1. Eleanor

I'm a sucker for a smart girl.  I love love love when authors write their heroines as witty and charming instead of needing to rely on a boy.  And my ideal heroine is one who delivers snarky retorts and proves how awesome she is without changing a damn thing about herself. 

Eleanor is all of those things.  And more.

She fights the Dead with a parasol.  She gets into the thick of things right from the beginning and never wants to leave. She's the younger sister to an older brother who can't come home for some reason.  The family is almost out of money and the responsibility to marry quickly falls on Eleanor's shoulders.  And does she falter? Nope.  Not at all.

2. Daniel

Daniel is swoony without even knowing it.  He's smart and gruff and so delicious in his not acting properly around a society lady.  Even better, he knows how he's supposed to act and does the exact opposite.  He calls Eleanor "Empress".  He buys her a parasol when she loses hers. 

At the same time, you can tell he doesn't know what to do with Eleanor. And it's absolutely amazing to watch it all unfold and see the interactions between them. 

3. The promise of more in Book 2

Eleanor. Daniel. Paris.  The end.

Something Strange and Deadly takes place in Philadelphia.  There are zombies.  Smart zombies who are being controlled by a necromancer.  And some pretty awesome steampunk-like science experiments that help destroy the zombies. 

Go buy it. 

As I said in my epic Comic-Con recap, I briefly met Susan.  She's adorable and charming and I absolutely want to meet her again so I can fangirl on her the way she properly deserves.

The time I reviewed a book -- 1

Okay. So we all know that this blog is about author events and the random shenanigans that seem to always happen to me. Well, I thought I'd shake it up a bit and every once in a while share a book that I loved so much that can't stop thinking about it.

It's certainly not going to be every book, I wouldn't do that to you. :D

So. With that being said, the first book I've been a flailing mess over is Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.

As I mentioned in my GoodReads review, this book was given to me by a friend. The lovely LeAnna [yes, the sole reason for the start of this blog] gave me an ARC of it the last time I was up at MGRB. She told me that if I liked Daughter of Smoke and Bone that I would like it. I read the back, it sounded interesting, so I took it.

And it sat in my TBR stack for a while.

I don't know what compelled me to finally pick it up, but once I did, I didn't want to put it down.

Without getting into a serious synopsis summary, here are my reasons for why I think you should read this book:

1. Celaena

She could be my favorite heroine out there. She's been trained to be an assassin since she was orphaned at 8 years old. At the start of the book, she's been a prisoner at a salt mine for the past year. She's only 18 and is the most well known assassin, yet she hasn't lost her femininity. She wants to be clean [who doesn't?] and likes the look of herself before she wasted away, but she isn't all, "I'm so amazingly gorgeous, check me out, yo!". She'd rather lure you in to kill you than kiss you and if she can do both while in a pretty dress, that's an added bonus.

Celaena is fierce. Like Beyonce fierce. She's smart and witty and charming and unlike every other girl that I've read. You can't help but fall in love with her and be rooting for her from the very beginning.

2. Chaol and Dorian

Let's get down to serious business now. There are TWO swoony boys to choose from. Yes, you read that correctly.  Two. Usually, I can pick a boy to root for within the first couple of pages of the characters interacting. With Chaol and Dorian, I was going back and forth until the very end.

Chaol is the captain of the guard for the King and is srs bsns all the time. He's in charge of training Celaena. He is gruff and hard headed and he definitely has his reasons as to why he's that way.

However, whenever Celaena is around, we see those defensive walls loosen up, just a bit. We get glittering eyes and shy smiles from him and it's all perfection [but he's not a hot mess about it, he comes across as unsure]. He seems to be the best pick for Celaena because he can relate to the warrior side of her and doesn't discount her ability because she's a girl.

Dorian is the crown prince. He's charming without being skeevy, always has a smile on his face, always looking for a fun time and always always always gets his way. Until Celaena. She makes him realize that he wants to be a better man. And it's fun to see him struggle with what that entails.

Chaol and Dorian are close, best friends if you will. Watching them both of them come apart individually is delightful, but each of their reactions to the other as they interact with Celaena could be some of the best scenes in the book.

3. The Plot

A wicked battle of champions? Check. Magic? Check. Insipid girls from court who want the Prince? Check. Macho boys who underestimate my girl? Check.  In other words, this book has it all, but not in an overwhelming way. Maas has a fluid way of writing and I found myself always wanting to go back to whatever scene I was just finished with.

Throne of Glass is the first book that I wanted to start over immediately after finishing it. It's the first book that I snuck away at work whenever I could to read a paragraph, a page, a chapter. It's the first book that is still on my mind one week and four books later.

I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy as soon as possible. When August 7th comes around, I'll be getting the hardcover and e-book version. Meanwhile, I'm going to pet the ARC that I have.