Review: In Another Life

In Another Life by C.C. Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Review: When I first started reading this one I found myself pulled into the story. I will have to see if some of this comes up in the finished copy so please be advised that I am saying this via an ARC. So one major issue I had with this one was that early on Cash (yes that is his name) talks about having one of those DNA test things from like Ancestry.com and then that's it. Its never mentioned after that. I thought it was a little weird and well kind of stupid to bring it up if nothing came of it.

The entire story about a girl who was adopted but might have been kidnapped was great. It had danger and mystery, a little romance, and a lot of heart. But I kind of wished that a little of it would have been cleaned up just a little more than what it was. My ARC of this book is 336 pages and I think this could have been cut down by say 50-75 pages give or take. Towards the middle parts when they are in the thick of the mystery of finding out for sure if Chole had been kidnapped it began to drag a lot. So that was kind of disappointing as I think this is the first book by this author that I didn't flat out a scream from the rooftops loved. I mean don't get me wrong I did LOVE it but as it sits it wasn't the 5 stars read I was hoping for.

So all in all this book had two main characters it was told in alternating POV of them then one other POV towards the middle-end parts. I won't tell you who that one is since I don't want to spoil anything. I loved Chloe and me really kind of wanted to bend Cash over my knee and bust his butt. (not in a sexual way btw but as a parent). I really wished that this book would have had a little more of him coming to terms with who he was and the issues he harbored against his past. The book pretty much takes like three paragraphs and does that but it would have been nice to really see him talk with his foster parents and really come to terms with his anger and guilt. Another thing I wished would have really happened which I guess it kind of did but not how I really wanted it to. Chloe in this is pretty much the parent. Her mom is going downhill, she is getting over Cancer (which was hard to read about since my mom is doing the same thing), she is going through a divorce from her husband cheating on her and of course, she is just not doing well. I would have liked to see Chole to break a few eggs as she said and rip into her mom about her being the child and her being the mom. She did yell at her about taking pills which I thought was great. But I wish they would have had a real conversation about what was going on. For Chole's dad, I think his side of the story worked well. I was kind of sad of one turn in the story that although was ok I was really hoping that a certain purchase was going to be him trying to win Chole's mom back. But alas it was not meant to be. Last but not least Cash's foster parents were great we got to learn a little about them etc. I don't really have anything to say about them.

I do have to say that I loved that parents were actually in the story and not just one but two full sets of mom and dad!! I mean YES PLEASE!!

The romance in this one was light but deep. I really loved the epilogue we got at the end. Although this two fall in love early I didn't feel like it was insta-love I felt like they had spent time together and bonded. So that was wonderful.

So the mystery of wither or not Chole had been kidnapped. This I have to say got me going at first. Towards the end of the book, you learn if it was one way or another and the secret is out of the bag. I kind of wished that the author would have omitted those parts out since it took the mystery out of the story from then on. You know the truth and that's that. Although it became somewhat predictable I still enjoyed getting to that part and learning the truth.

At the end of this one, I kind of wished that this would have centered around Chole finding out the truth sooner then them dealing with the outcome of that truth. Then the danger towards the end wouldn't have felt so rushed and more could have happened. With Chole and her family dealing with emotions etc. As well as Cash and Chole learning how to deal with their romance. And Cash with his issues.



Go Into This One Knowing: Child Kidnapping, LGBT in passing, Child Abuse, Adoption, Romance

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Review: Mortal Heart

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Review: Out of the three books in this series I think this one was my favorite! I am sad that I did not get an epilogue which I am very sad about. I will say that what I got was one great journey that I will not soon forget. Although I prob. am not saying anyone's names right. This was such a story about a girl who found her destiny and her love and my god it was so good. If you are looking for a series about nuns who kick butt and gods/saints then check out this one.

Go Into This One Knowing: No Epilogue, No Love Triangle, No Cliffhanger (persay)


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Review: Tree of Ages

Tree of Ages by Sara C. Roethle
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I really wanted to love this. It starts out with a girl who was a tree who turns into a girl and I was like YES PLEASE!! This is like totally new and fresh. But, shortly after that this book started going downhill. I could get behind her going to where she was being pulled to and I really loved all the characters but the story/plot itself just wasn't working for me. At one point they have to put their trip on hold because all of a sudden there is a plot twist that really just made this one fall apart.

This is the issue that I have with indie books some are really good and then you get the ones that failed to really work. I think that if the author went back and did some major edits and just cleaned up the pacing etc. That this could be an amazing title. But as it sits for at least me it just failed to give me what I was looking for.

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Review: Dark Triumph

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Review: Wow just WOW I really thought I wasn't going to love this book as it was not in the same POV as book one. But I learned really quickly that I loved this character just as much or more than book one. I will say that parts of this story took me by surprise. I was shocked when a certain thing was told and it really really shocked me. You can find out the spoiler here.

(view spoiler)[ I am horrible at names. But its the guy that wants to force the Duchess to marry him. Anyway, he kills Sybella's baby girl by snapping her neck and this was very shocking to have in this title. I mean it fit but it was still very disturbing for me to read. (hide spoiler)]

Other than that one part in the book this one broke my heart and then put it back piece by broken piece. I really felt for Sybella and what she was going through. Because, although she was trying to keep her sister's safe as well as the Duchess etc. She was torn on what she should do and what choice she should make. She was more like a mother to these girls than an older sister and it just made me feel so much for her. I know that I would go to the ends of the Earth to keep my girls safe.

I will say that this one felt like it had just a little more depth just because of everything that she had been through. Unlike in Grave Mercy with Ismae, Sybella has lived in this horrible world and has done unspeakable things. This story really went from an innocent character in Ismae to this world-worn character Sybella and I loved every second of it.

I am now very excited to read the last book as again we get a character change but this time we have Annith who has never left the convent EVER.



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Review: You'd Be Mine

You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute contemporary that would make a great tv show. It gives you the all-around view of the world of music and I like that the author kept it light and I think this one would work great for a beach read this spring and summer. So many emotions will run through you while reading this one!


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Review: The Fever King

The Fever King by Victoria Lee
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

My Review: I always get excited when that prime thing for Kindle First gives us a young adult novel since that is mostly what I read. So when this one popped up and I found out it was a post-apocalyptic fantasy I was like YES PLEASE!! But shortly into the title, I realized that this was just a very slow and boring story. I just didn't care about anyone in the story and by 10% I was just done and bored to tears. I am sad to say that this one really felt like it didn't have the depth I was hoping for. I mean within the first 10% this kid finds three people who are either dead or on their way out. One of which is his own father and it just didn't feel like it had any emotion at all.



Go Into This One Knowing: Slow, Boring, No Depth


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Review: A Conspiracy of Stars

A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

My Review: I wish that I could say that I loved this one because I really wanted to. But sadly the pacing in it just got to me around 250 pages. I just had to put it down and I am so sad that that happened. This one starts off so well but during the story, it just becomes so boring that I was doing everything I could not come back to it. This was supposed to be this amazing sci-fi title but what I found was a very slow story that I just had to say goodbye to. At first, I didn't want to quit because I really wanted to know what in the world was going on. But as the story progressed I just found that I didn't care anymore.


Go Into This One Knowing: Slow Pacing


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Review: Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Review: I don't even remember when I first read this title. But it's been a long while and I never did get to finish the others in the series. So I have to say that I was very glad and very excited when I received an ARC of the newest title that is a spin-off of this series. Getting the chance to reread one of my favs is not something that I generally get to do.

This book starts off with a bang and ends the same way. I really loved how it started out with our MC Ismae being only 13 (I am pretty sure) and being married off to someone who could be her father. I know in this time period that was not uncommon but still, it really sets the tone for this story that woman are no more than property. This is a story of one girl who is the daughter of Death and it is up to her to find her true path in life. This story unfolds with some wonderful historical events, Gods and Goddesses or Saints and one girl who really knows how to kick some butt! I loved every second of it. Well other than my hardback falling apart. But that even ended up being a blessing as I snagged the paperbacks with these beautifully updated covers and this one has a new story in the back. It's just a deleted scene so to speak. It is about when the girls have to test their skills on a dead body. And it was great.

The characters in this one were fabulous! I really wished that book two would have been in the same POV because I know that it is not. And although I am sure that Ismae and Duval will be in book two I would have liked to stay in Ismae's POV. But I guess well see how it goes.

This one was full of action and had a great pace things unfolded one scene at a time and it really worked for me. I was hooked and never felt bored at all. I loved all the poisons, knives, and I was really surprised about how I felt when certain characters bit the bullet and they hadn't really been in the story all that much.

One thing that I want to note about this world is the historical aspects and the fantasy. It is a very light fantasy so if you think you're going into this and you're going to see the fey, flying, witches, etc. You aren't. The only real magic per se that is in this one is the mark of death and that is pretty much it. I am not sure if we will see more fantasy elements in the coming titles. But for this one that is all there is. The historical aspect of this was wonderful. I loved how the author took real people and events then added in this aspect of Death's Handmaidens it worked so well!!

In the end, this reminds me of the White Princess where the woman although are property still make do with what they can in any way they can. There is a lot of political dangers in this one as well as twists and turns. And really you can't trust anyone in this story other than Ismae!



Go Into This One Knowing: No Insta-Love, Politics, Woman as Property, Light Fantasy

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