Review | "Cry Sanctuary" by Moira Rogers

This week's review is over the first book in the "Red Rock Pass" series by the writing team that makes up Moira Rogers (the same writing team that is responsible for the Kit Rocha "Beyond" series).
This review is, again, a few months in the making, so before my review, here is the book's Goodreads description:

Keith Winston is tired of fighting. The war between werewolves and wizards rages on in Europe, but he's come home to Red Rock, Montana in hopes of finding a bit of peace. Instead he finds more strife as he struggles against the pack’s dictates that he resume his place as the alpha’s right hand man.

When he rescues a new wolf on the run, he knows his instant attraction to her could cause trouble. What he doesn't expect is to find himself embroiled in another battle that goes against all his instincts—and his heart.

Abigail Adler learned about the existence of werewolves only when she became one. With her life is threatened by a corrupt alpha, she flees to the only sanctuary she knows: Red Rock. While she’s grateful for the pack’s protection, she chafes under its unbreakable rules of conduct—except when it comes to submitting to the passion Keith stirs in her.

Then her tormentor kidnaps her sister in an attempt to lure her out of hiding. To save her, Abby and Keith must be willing to do the very thing that could get them all killed—break all of the rules.

I read this book in July when the authors announced that the first books in all their series (Kit Rocha included for those of you interested) would be available for free in ebook format. Now, the Moira Rogers paranormal romances are hit or miss with me. 
This is more of  miss. 
While I gave the book three stars, it wasn't my favorite by them. The sex seemed thrown in and didn't fit with the build up and afterwards the characters had a forced element to them. Like their interactions were trying to be natural and the dialogue was unnatural at times. Somehow the storyline rushed before things could develop as intricately as they could have been, but the book seemed to drag.  
Since the book is available for free, I recommend it if you're interested in reading something from these authors. Do I personally think I will continue with the series? Probably not.

Review | "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer "The Lunar Chronicles #2"

Today's review is a few months in the making. Luckily I have my notes from my reading so I can still review my thoughts even if it's been a few months.
Since this review will be over the second book in a series, there will be some spoilers for "Cinder" so I advise you to click out of this review if you haven't read that book yet and you would like to.

As always, before I get into the review, here is the book's Goodreads description:

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

After absolutely adoring Cinder, I was extremely excited to jump into Scarlet and over all, I wasn't let down! I do have a couple notes to keep in mind though that kept the book from being perfect. 
The relationship between Scarlet and Wolf doesn't make sense, and by that I mean it's rushed. Part of that is due to the fact that this book follows mainly five characters' perspectives whereas the first installment only followed Cinder and Kai- which allowed them more room in the book to interact and blossom a relationship. The way the story progressed didn't allow the reader to see them evolve as characters and so it seems abrupt. The reader might feel like they've missed something because, while the end game is predictable, you don't get to see the entire journey the characters took in their own minds to get there. This isn't a big problem as it's certainly not the first book to do something like this, but it is a plot point the reader might almost have to turn a blind eye to. 
There are a few chapters thrown in randomly that follow characters other than the five main perspectives. This serves to let the reader know what is going on throughout the storyline, and that makes perfect sense, but it is also a little confusing and choppy feeling to never see those perspectives come up again during the course of the book. 
In the end, I think that if you liked Cinder, you'll enjoy this book as well. The new characters are a little stubborn and might be difficult to like in the beginning, but they grow on you and I am extremely excited to see where the series goes.

Book Review | "Isla and the Happily Ever After" by Stephanie Perkins

This week's review is over one the books I had most anticipated for 2014, the conclusion to the "Anna and the French Kiss" companion trilogy: "Isla and the Happily Ever After"! This book, as most fans of Stephanie Perkins know, was originally supposed to be released in 2012, then 2013. In a blog post by the author, she explained why the book was taking so long to be released, but it still made the anticipation almost unbearable!
Anyway, I'll get into my thoughts, but first, here's the Goodreads description:


The café is boiling. The atmosphere is clouded with bittersweet coffee. 
Three years of desire rip through my body and burst from my lips: “Josh!”
His head jolts up. For a long time, a very long time, he just stares at me. 
And then…he blinks. “Isla?”
Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to face uncertainty about their futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Set against the stunning backdrops of New York, Paris and Barcelona, this is a gorgeous, heart-wrenching and irresistible story of true love, and the perfect conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series. 

I will admit, while being an absolutely adorable book, it wasn't my favorite in the series. That place is still held by Anna, followed by Isla and ending with Lola. My main issue with the story was the communication between Isla and Josh. This is one of the only young adult stories I've read where two characters like each other, tell each other that fact and start a relationship without a whole mess of conflict getting in the way first, which is a plus. However, it seems like after that their communication goes out the window. 
Yes, it's believable, but only to a point. They're in a relationship for a reason, and I found myself wanting to somehow reach into the book and shake some sense into both of them. Nearly all the conflict in this book shouldn't be there, and wouldn't be there if the characters would just TALK to each other. 
I didn't exactly buy the insta-love and wish we got to know Josh and his feelings for Isla a little bit better so his side of the relationship didn't seem forced into existence. 
Isla, while endearing and adorable, seemed to push the limits of quirky a little too much (she is constantly tripping over things and falling down which stops being cute and starts seeming like the fact that she's "a little strange but in a cute way" is being played up too much). 
There were a few cliche` elements that weren't necessary, but didn't exactly take away from the story and are only faults if you begin to really break the novel down. 
Also, the timing of the book is a little confusing. It is supposed to be set during the same time period as Lola's book, but it's not. It's set up to make it seem like it's taking place the year after "Lola and the Boy Next Door" which, in turn, throws off details from "Anna and the French Kiss".  Again, that's a pretty minor issue, but it is something I noticed.

Ultimately, I think the story could have been tweaked to perfection, but it's also understandable that writing the ending to your first series, one that's so beloved, can be an extremely trying task for an author. While it could have been better, I still loved the book and wholeheartedly recommend the trilogy.

Book Review | "Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wynne Jones

I'm back with another book review! Finally! My last review dates back all the way to August, if you can believe that. I took some time off to study for exams I just finished with at the end of October and in doing so I've collected quite the list of books I need to review, so I'll just get right into my review over this week's book, "Howl's Moving Castle"- the first book in a series, though it can be read as a stand alone.

A lot of you may be familiar with the animated film adaptation of this book, but I went into the story only having heard some great things about it on Booktube, and I can't disagree with what all the reviews have been saying! 

Before I get into my thoughts more in detail, here's the book's Goodreads description: 

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye. 

This book was a lot of fun to read. It's typically classified as being middle-grade, though the main character is in her late teens and Howl is in his twenties, but something about the whimsical nature of the book, the innocence of the adventure, makes it a very good choice for younger readers as well as older readers who are just looking for something light. 

Now, that being said, I did have a few (though some rather minor) issues with the book, and here they are:

I'm not sure if the author intended for this book to be a middle grade story from the start, which would explain the word redundance and the tendency for some phrases to be written very simplistically. However, older readers might find that writing structure a little annoying, at least at the beginning of the book. 

A large chunk of the book passes without much plot development. That isn't necessarily a complaint, because I was still entertained by those passages, but it could have been trimmed down a bit so easily bored readers don't put the book down because it lacks action. That being said, the characters didn't seem to develop that much during those times where the story wasn't moving along. Neither independently, nor in their relationships to each other which is a little disappointing. A story that could have been more or less entirely character driven was pushed ahead by the magic and fantastical setting over the people living in the world. 

Also, the ending seemed rushed. It was thrown together in a way that seemed a little too silly. 

I wish the author would have spent less time on the more "boring" moments and elaborated the characters and the stories ending a little more.

All that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am interested in what the rest of the series has in store. 

Book Review | "Texas! Sage" by Sandra Brown

This week's (belated) review is over a book that I received in the mail along with "Envy" by the same author (review to come soon) which I won in a Goodreads giveaway.
"Texas! Sage" is the third book in a companion novel trilogy, but it is in no way entirely necessary to read the first two books before reading this one (I didn't). If you want to go back and start from the beginning, you'll be a little spoiled, but at the same time, these are the types of stories that have pretty standard and predictable endings.
As always here is the book's Goodreads description:

In the dramatic finale of #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown’s popular Texas! trilogy, the headstrong youngest daughter of the Tyler family finally steps out of the shadows cast by her two older brothers. But forging her own path will take every ounce of savvy in Sage Tyler’s possession. 
The youngest heir to her family’s oil fortune, Sage has always been the unbridled spitfire in the Tyler clan. Now, fresh out of college, she’s looking to settle down at last with her safe, upper-crust fiancé. Then into her life saunters Harlan Boyd, a rootless drifter recently hired for a Tyler Drilling Company project. Harlan’s just the sort of man Sage should avoid, but there’s something irresistible about the laconic cowboy that intrigues her.
When a financial crisis threatens to wreck Tyler Drilling for good, Sage and Harlan must channel their simmering chemistry into the task of saving the family business. But can she trust a man who shares her maverick spirit—and harbors long-held secrets of his own?

The "Texas! Tyler Family" trilogy was first published in 1990-1991, so it's a little bit older than other novels I usually read, and you can definitely tell that there is a lot of tradition going into the storyline. I read Envy, a 2002 thriller also by Sandra Brown, before reading Sage's story, and I think that may have weakened the plot for me.
I felt the romance in this book was forced, the chemistry between Harlan and Sage unrealistic and overdone to make it believable. There were a lot of moments where Harlan basically assaults Sage. Kissing her when she very clearly doesn't want it. Yes, the story justifies itself by having Sage give in, that she was fighting it because she's stubborn, not because kissing a stranger right after being dumped by a boyfriend is odd in any way.
The storyline dragged a lot as well. It felt like it wasn't going anywhere and that a lot of scenes were there for filler because there really didn't seem to be any point to them. I think the book could have been half the length it ended up being and it would have been a more enjoyable story. Considering there were chapters full of forced conflict that all of a sudden wrap up over the course of literally under five pages, it would have made the book read less like a rough draft.

Was this a horrible book? No. Will I go back and read the first two books in the series, maybe. I'm not sure how much of what I had trouble with in this book is the author and the story themselves, or the writing trend of the time- I'll have to read other novels to decide that.
I gave this book 3 stars and I think if you aren't looking for anything intense, something that could be read quickly in the last few days/weeks of summer, this might be for you, but it's not the peak of women's literature in my opinion.

Review | "Out On Top" by Steve Morris

This review is a day late, and since I also skipped last week's review, I'll just get started with my thoughts on this week's book review.
I won a copy of "Out On Top" from the publisher through goodreads.
As always, here's the book's description:

We are long overdue a break.
Out on Top is a bag of stories where wrongs are often put right.
Instead of dwelling on what might have been, characters get their chances to rectify their regrets and tidy up their troubled pasts.
Once-reluctant Romeos, clever creatures and innovative new technology sees the cast of Out on Top get second chances to see the truth finally come out whether it wants to or not.

From the author of In All Probability,
Out on Top sees Steve Morris return to set a few things straight.

I started in on this book optimistic. It seemed like a fictional "Chicken Soup For The Soul" type of read. While I'm personally past the phase where that type of format is the ideal book, I still enjoy reading short stories. Especially light ones to break up streaks of perhaps slow or heavy reading. 
The first few stories were upbeat enough. They were neither the best, nor the worst things I'd ever read and I was staying positive that the stories would only get better.
I was a little disappointed, however. The further along I got, the less upbeat the stories tended to be. In fact, some ended on entirely dark notes. A few of the stories were confusing, or boring, or like they didn't seem to fit the others and after a certain point, I just started skimming my way through the book. 
Considering the price of this book, and the fact that it only has around 140 pages, I would say to pass. There are plenty of other books with upbeat stories for you to read.

Book Review | "Beyond Jealousy" by Kit Rocha

This week's review is a day late (oops!)- I have a good excuse though! I took yesterday to finish up my camp NaNoWriMo draft and didn't want to type anymore when I finally had time to type my review.
Anyway, today I'm reviewing "Beyond Jealousy" book #4 in the "Beyond" dystopian romance series by Kit Rocha. I have reviews here on the blog over the last two novellas released in this series and I mention my thoughts about the first three full-length books in various wrap-ups on my Youtube channel which are still available to watch.

Before I get into my review, here's the book's description from Goodreads:
She’s been looking for the perfect man. She found two.
When Rachel Riley sacrificed a life in Eden to protect the O’Kanes, she earned her place in the powerful Sector Four gang. But the former crime princess is tired of being everyone’s sweet little sister . It’s time for her to get wild, to embrace her fantasies as only an O’Kane can—with a delicious exiled soldier and the gang’s wickedly sinful tattoo artist.
A saint...
Lorenzo Cruz is a warrior, taught by his commanding officers in Eden that involvement equals distraction. Emotion is a liability, and desire a sin. In Sector Four, he finds decadence, shameless sex—and his own dark urges. No battle strategy prepared him for how Rachel makes his heart race…or the way his rival for her affections sets his blood on fire.
...and a sinner.
Ace Santana has a dirty reputation and a mind to match, especially where his new lovers are concerned. He’s eager to help Cruz embrace his dominant side, and to explore the lines between pleasure and pain with Rachel. But corrupting them quickly becomes an obsession, a need he can’t deny—and a love he never imagined. 
Three hearts on the line means a hundred ways their ménage a trois could go wrong. After all, even O’Kanes do forever two-by-two. One of them could be the missing piece that makes them all whole…or a temporary diversion destined for a broken heart

Okay, so this love triangle has been building since the first book when it was still just Ace and Rachel, but it was easily the most difficult to write well. It's a very complicated poly-amorous relationship that could easily have been all sex and no substance. I think the ladies behind the Kit Rocha name did a really good job of writing a story that would make their fans happy...for the most part. 
I didn't buy Ace and Cruz's feelings towards each other the way Rachel was interpreting them. It never felt like they had feelings for each other that weren't platonic. In fact, I felt like they loved each other like brothers, and because of that, their was a definite competitive feel I got that *spoiler* disappeared towards the end so their story could wrap up the way people would want it to. I mean, their competing with each other has been beaten into readers' brains since Cruz showed up, I felt like the ending was too neat considering that.

Ace is a character I've been looking forward to reading about for a while, but I didn't sympathize with him so much. I felt he needed to suck it up, every other paragraph was him saying he would mess everything up so why not do something on purpose, or how he was the platform for Cruz and Rachel to develop their relationship...

The book definitely leaves off on a cliffhanger that will have fans of the series dying to read the next book, which is set to be out soon, but as of now has no official release date. 
I definitely think if you've enjoyed the series so far, you should check it out, but it's my least favorite of the stories I've read in this universe so far.