Mini’s…Beta Test, Body Rocks, Come What May, Mr. and Mr. Smith...

These are all M/M romances I had requested for review. Purely coincidence - but they all released around the same dates so I thought I would do a round of mini reviews…

***

Source: All books were e-ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

***

Beta Test (Gaymers #2) by Annabeth Albert

Player vs. Player. Fight!

Brilliant graphic designer Ravi Tandel is ahead of the game—he's just been asked to present a top secret project at a huge conference in Seattle. All systems are go…until he learns his buttoned-up office nemesis is coming along for the ride.

Tristan Jones isn't really the gamer type, but he knows the back end of the video game business inside out. Together, he and Ravi will give an awesome presentation. If they survive the cross-country trip first.

Tossed together in close quarters, Ravi's shocked to see Tristan's sexy, softer side emerge from such a conservative shell. He's less shocked to learn his handsome colleague's prominent family would never support an out-and-proud son. But Ravi didn't struggle through his own coming out to hide who he is now. To be together, Tristan will have to push past his fear and ultimately decide: Does he want a future with Ravi? Or is it game over before they've even begun?

Book Two of the #gaymers series ~ Goodreads

Quick thoughts: The Gaymers series is so wonderful. Even better than Albert's Portland Heat series, which is another favorite of mine.

I loved how Avi and Tristan truly weren't interested in each other romantically or physically at first. There are so few books now that give time for a friendship (or in this case a professional relationship) to bloom before becoming more.

I also really enjoyed how Albert explores family and obligation. Although both men are out to their families, they have to deal with the fallout due to political and cultural expectations.

Beta Test is low on angst but emotional and sensual - their romance is more about a deep connection between two kind souls than trying to rush to the eventual HEA.



Body Rocks (Off Beat #1) by A.M. Arthur

Everything is finally falling into place for Trey Cooper: his band has been accepted into one of the biggest music competitions in the country…too bad their drummer just quit to play with XYZ, their biggest rival. When Trey has a mind-blowingly hot hookup with a mysterious violinist, Trey definitely plans to see him again – just not on stage as a member XYZ.

Dominic Bounds’ time to make his musical dreams come true is running out. If something doesn’t happen fast, he has to head home to find a real job. This competition is his last chance, and Dom needs to come out on top – but he never expected to fall for his rival. As Dom and Trey risk everything to begin a secret affair, there’s no denying their chemistry is off the charts – but could their band rivalry turn their romance into a one-hit wonder? ~ Goodreads

Quick thoughts: Another fun one! I loved that despite the conflict between Trey & Dominic- rival bands in competition against each other, band member betrayals, and a secret relationship – these two made it work. I was kind of surprised how they just jumped in and were open and honest with each other even though they, understandably, had to keep it secret from their fellow band members. The band competition and music references were great too. 

*This book doesn't release until June 28th but it's available for review on Netgalley right now.



Come What May (All Saints #1) by A.M. Arthur

Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn't know it yet.

Or at least, he doesn't want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas Ashcroft is gay. He's a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince everyone—especially himself—didn't leave him so miserable. No matter how many girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who he is.

Enter Tate. He's smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas's surly exterior. Sure, he's done things in life he's not proud of, but he knows who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he's never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and excites them both.

But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas's old life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn't enough—and sometimes it's exactly what you need. ~ Goodreads


Quick thoughts: The tension and verbal sparring at the beginning was so much fun and I only wish it could have lasted longer instead of turning Come What May into a very sweet, yet generic, story.

Tate's struggle to live on his own, run a shelter and raise his two siblings was the far more interesting story to me but was kind of set aside for Jonas coming to terms with being gay and relationship with his father.

I would have loved to read more with Tate/Jonas *with* Tate's siblings.

Even though this romance didn't really stand out from the rest - I loved the couple and the family dynamics.



Mr. and Mr. Smith by Helen Kay Dimon

Secrets and seduction make for an explosive combination in HelenKay Dimon’s edgy, thrilling new series, which kicks off with a novel about two men who can handle any threat—except the one posed by desire.

Fisher Braun knows how to keep a secret. As a covert paramilitary operative, his job—and his life—depends on it. He’s at the top of his game, ready for action and always in control. No enemy has ever brought him to his knees, but one lover has: Zachary Allen, the man currently sharing his bed. The perfect package of brains and brawn, Zach is someone worth coming home to, and Fisher hates keeping him in the dark about what he does. But the lies keep Zach safe. Until the day Fisher loses everything. . . .

Zachary Allen is no innocent civilian. Although he plays the tech geek, in reality he’s deep undercover for the CIA. In a horrible twist of fate, the criminal enterprise he’s infiltrated has set its sights on the man whose touch drives him wild. Zach would do anything for Fisher—except blow his own cover. Now, in order to save him, Zach must betray him first. And he needs Fisher to trust him with all his heart if they want to make it out alive. ~ Goodreads

Quick thoughts: With a title like Mr. and Mr. Smith, I was expecting lots of witty banter and cool spy action like the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Instead it was more of a traditional romance setup - betrayed lovers finding their way back to each other and battling the enemy. More dark and angsty than fun.

Don't get me wrong - the book works on that level and I enjoyed it - just wasn't what I hoped it would be.

Stacking the Shelves….Sea Spell, Stars So Sweet, Dietland

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

This was a slow two weeks for Book Mail but I’m a-ok with that! There’s never enough time to catch up on my reading and I’m going to ALA next month so I would rather work on reading what I already have.

For review:

Sea Spell (Waterfire Saga #4) by Jennifer Donnelly  ~ Goodreads Disney Hyperion – Release date June 14, 2016

Mermaids! This sounds super cute and I’m going to give a try even though I haven’t read the first 3 books. There’s a giveaway on goodreads (use the link above) if you’re interested.

Stars so Sweet (All Four Stars #3) by Tara Dairman ~ Goodreads Penguin - Release date July 19, 2016

The final adventure for Gladys, the pint size restaurant critic for the New York Standard. I adore this series. It's filled with food, culture, family and lessons about growing up. I highly recommend this series and I'm sad to see it go.

Bought:

Dietland by Sarai Walker ~ Goodreads


“Dietland is a bold, original, and funny debut novel that takes on the beauty industry, gender inequality, and our weight loss obsession—from the inside out, and with fists flying.” Goodreads
Sounds fun!

What did you get this week? Any recommendations? Leave a link to your StS post!

Friday Fast 5…

#1

 Dietland by Sarai Walker – Goodreads

I’m having a bit of genre burn out and this seems totally different so I hope it pulls me out of my reading funk.

#2

Preacher – AMC Sunday’s at 9pm

This show is wacked and I love it. FYI – it’s ultra violent so if you can’t handle that – this might not be your kind of show.

#3

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I was never a huge Star Wars fan so I wasn’t expecting much but I really enjoyed it. I loved Rey but thought Kylo Ren was a pretty lame villain. He wasn’t developed enough so he just came off as a bratty emo kind whining because his parents sent him to boarding school. Otherwise it was fun!

#4

The Samsung Gear S2

website

I got this for free when I bought my phone several months ago and figured I should probably activate it. It does pretty much everything my phone can do – receive emails/texts/phone calls. Has a calendar, apps and S Health – pictured above. I’ve never been one to keep track of my steps or anything but it’s been fun seeing what I do in an average day. You can also monitor your heart rate, water intake, and workouts. I can’t say I would have bought it but I do like it.

#5

Blueberries

I have three blueberry bushes in my backyard and this is the first year I’ve actually gotten to eat any. There’s either no berries or the birds and my dog Indy get to them first. This year we seem to have come to a sharing agreement – we all got some lol

Did you guys read, watch or do anything fun this week?

*You can follow me on Instagram for more pics…usually of the four legged kids and books

Review: The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.

What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.

Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year. ~ Goodreads

Source: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:
This book was like a punch to the gut. It cut so close to home and the experiences of several friends of mine who were sexually assaulted that I had to stop reading several times because it felt so real.

Of course, no two assaults are the same and there isn’t only one way to react or recover. This was Eden’s journey, told in four parts from the time of the rape – when she was a “good girl”, a quiet girl, a geek girl – starting out at high school, through the three years after the rape.

Eden is raped by her brother’s best friend, a good friend of the family, in her own home, and doesn’t tell anyone out of fear.

Who would believe mousy Eden over him? He's a popular, well loved guy. It would destroy her parents and brother who love him like a brother and son. This causes a lot of complex emotions within Eden. She idolizes her brother yet resents him for not knowing what happened to her and for not protecting her.

She goes through all the complex emotions of wanting…needing to tell, yet fearful of the outcome until she pushes it way deep inside but of course she can’t truly forget.

As Eden’s behavior becomes more erratic – she’s angry, drinking, sleeping around – her friends and family try to find out what’s wrong but because they don’t understand what is really going on underneath the surface, it’s often with a judgmental, accusatory tone. They write it off as her being one of those moody, selfish teenagers and that just sends Eden further into herself.

There is a boy and a romance but it’s not written in the typical way that I usually see in these types of books. It’s her first relationship and love *after* but Eden has no way to navigate all the feelings and memories it brings to the surface. Josh is a really nice, patient guy but he can’t figure out what sets her off or why she runs so hot and cold.

Josh sees Eden as beautiful but Eden sees herself as a crime scene.

“Because whatever he thinks I am, I’m not. And whatever he thinks my body is, it isn’t. My body is a torture chamber. it’s a fucking crime scene. Hideous things have happened here,…”
There is no boy to ride in to save the girl. Eden keeps spiraling out of control until she finally hits rock bottom and reaches out to an unlikely person.

I’ve read several books about sexual assault and as I mentioned earlier there is no one or correct way to deal with the aftermath but The Way I Used to Be was so accurate to what my friends went through that it made my heart hurt.

I just want to touch on a few things here.

When people, especially teens, act out or act completely out of character – they’re telling you something. Listen. Quietly, without interruption or judgement…LISTEN. Eden’s family is shocked by her bizarre change in behavior. They try to ask what’s wrong multiple times and mean well but they don’t really want to hear. They want her to just go back to being quiet. That’s not the same and isn’t helpful.

We’ve seen how girls have been treated after speaking up about assault. Even if it was recorded and witnessed by dozens of people we STILL don’t believe the victim. And we judge their behavior afterwards. Until you are in a person’s shoes you have NO idea what it’s like. It’s easy to say “I would have just gone to the police – told someone – fought back…whatever... but the truth is you do what you have to to survive. So STFU.

Eden is frequently slut-shamed. By strangers, friends and even family. Some of it rather aggressive and threatening. I suppose it’s difficult to understand that a person who was violently assaulted would become promiscuous but every person experiences trauma differently. Promiscuity, changes in personality (from outgoing to quiet or from quiet to aggressive or angry for example), drinking, drug use, isolation are all signs that something is wrong.

So yeah…this book felt personal so my review got lecture-y – sorry but I do want to say that even though this book is dark and emotional without a giant happy bow at the end it is hopeful and empowering and a must read.

The author included information to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) so I’ll also add it here:

RAINN website | Hotline 1-800-656 HOPE (4673) available 24/7 – Free. Secure. Confidential

Review: The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he's gay. The school bully thinks he's a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth: David wants to be a girl.

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal: to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in his class is definitely not part of that plan. When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long , and soon everyone knows that Leo used to be a girl.

As David prepares to come out to his family and transition into life as a girl and Leo wrestles with figuring out how to deal with people who try to define him through his history, they find in each other the friendship and support they need to navigate life as transgender teens as well as the courage to decide for themselves what normal really means. ~ Goodreads


Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:

The Art of Being Normal is told through the alternating pov’s of two transgender teens – David (trans girl) & Leo (trans boy). What I loved about the two different characters is that their experiences, although similar, were also unique to them. They come from different socio-economic backgrounds, are at different stages of transitioning, telling friends and family and have experienced different levels of transphobic bullying.

David/Kate and Leo are two very different people. While David/Kate is scared to reveal her secret – she’s still optimistic and joyful overall, while Leo is wary, angry and closed off after a lifetime of disappointment. Yet they form a tentative friendship – which does not turn romantic. A trap I thought the author was going to fall into but thankfully didn’t.

I also liked how TAoBN showed some of the struggles transgender teens go through. Some obvious like bullying but also gender dysphoria, dating and family reactions while still making this a somewhat lighthearted story about the universal desire for love and acceptance and teenage awkwardness.

After a strong start, the story flounders a bit and struggles to take off but picks back up around the 100 pg mark. There’s a side story about Leo’s father that acts as a catalyst for several events for both Leo and David/Kate but felt a little unnecessary.

One thing that did strike me as odd though - was how both the author and Leo addressed David after she revealed herself as Kate. The author herself still titles Kate’s chapters as David and Leo still calls Kate he/David most of the time. Would Leo do that? Shouldn't he know better? It felt wrong and disrespectful to everything that Kate was trying to do and be and the message the author was trying to send.

I rarely read other reviews before writing mine but I wanted to see if anyone from the LGBQT community mentioned this. Maybe there was something I was missing or didn't understand but several reviewers did bring it up as well.

The Art of Being Normal was a sweet story that focused more on friendships and family instead of romance and I really appreciated that. It stumbles at times with slow pacing and soap opera style twists but overall is quite enjoyable.

Music: FOREIGN AIR –Free Animal, In the Shadows

I’m seeing the X Ambassadors (Unsteady, Renegades) in June and one of the opening acts is Foreign Animal so I checked them out and I love them! Should be an amazing show.

Check them out and let me know what you think…

Foreign Animal – Facebook | Twitter

Review: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.~ Goodreads



Source: ARC obtained from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review

Review (or better known as my jumbled thoughts):

WTF was this book?

WTF did I just read?

I went into this book cold turkey – without reading the summary. Maybe I should have because I was immediately thrown when I realized the characters were named Wink, Poppy and Midnight (not to mention there are also Leaf’s Buttercup, and Bee to name a few more). I never know what kind of book I’m getting into when it starts of with that type of whimsy.

The thing is – I could have thoroughly researched this book first and STILL wouldn’t have understood what the hell was going on. I didn’t find the plot confusing so much as I couldn’t figure out what type of story the author was trying to tell. Was this a fairy tale? Albeit a Grimm fairy tale – these characters are mean. Is it paranormal or is it just a Mean Girls contemporary YA filled with metaphors and lyrical prose and fairy tale references to keep you off track?

Poppy is the local mean girl – manipulating her friends, and especially boys, to do her bidding. She’s a self described bully and makes no apologies. She strings Midnight along and he moves away (only 2 miles) to try to break the spell of her power over him. Wink is his new neighbor and catches his eye – but Poppy notices – and does not like it one bit.

Wink tries to help Midnight vanquish the villain/wolf, Poppy, and become the hero of his own story.

This is a really difficult book to discuss without spoilers. I won’t say anything specific but even a general discussion could be considered a spoiler so you have been forewarned…
Highlight for SPOILERS:

There are twists – then twists on the twists and one of the twists is better and more interesting than the actual twist. Did you get all that?? lol
Wink Poppy Midnight wants you to believe that the villain can be the hero and vice versa but all I could see is some seriously fucked up teens that need professional help stat!
Sure the *villain* becomes the hero at one point but are they really a hero if they are the ones that put people in danger in the first place?
In the end I found the implausible twist more believable and interesting than the reality. I could have believed in the witches and wolves explanation easier than what really happened.

END SPOILERS

Wink Poppy Midnight is oddly compelling in the driving by a car crash and rubber necking kind of way. I wasn’t sure what I was reading yet I couldn’t stop. I’m not even sure if I liked or disliked it or wanted it to go differently.

Tucholke has a very distinct way of writing and you either like it or you don’t. It’s surreal, metaphorical and filled with twist and turns. Fans of We Were Liars would probably enjoy this. I did enjoy WWL but I think Wink Poppy Midnight straddled that line between too many genres (fairy tale, paranormal, contemporary) for me to truly enjoy it overall.

Stacking the Shelves

Hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Thank you to Swoon Reads, Disney Hyerion, MacTeenBooks and Tor Teen for being awesome book faries for this weeks Stacking the Shelves!

No Holding Back (Dodge Cove #2) by Kate Evangelista – Swoon Reads ~ Goodreads I believe this is YA and Swoons first M/M title. I could be wrong about that. The best friends to lovers trope is always fun so I’m looking forward to to reading it.
The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) by Rick Riordan – Disney Hyperion ~ Goodreads New series by Riordan. I haven’t read anything by him since the original Percy Jackson series but this one sounds fun. 

The Nerdy and the Dirty by B.T. Gottfred – Henry Holt and Co. ~ Goodreads So…this book is about a (self described) nympho and a nerd. And it’s YA. So this could go a lot of different ways. I’m curious to see how the author pulls this off.

Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark – Farrar, Straus and Giroux ~ Goodreads Diversity (transgender teen), road trip and family drama – sounds like a mad cap adventure!
Return to the Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz – Disney Hyperion ~ Goodreads This is based on a Disney tv show about the Disney villains (Maleficent, Jafar, Evil Queen, Cruella de Vil) children. I haven’t read the first book The Isle of the Lost but it sounds like a cute series.
Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter – Tor Teen ~ Goodreads Inspired by the Russian folktale Vassilissa the Beautiful and set in the enchanted kingdom of Brooklyn..This sounds so interesting!

*What's new on your shelf? Have you or are you anticipating any of my reads?

Mini reviews: Earth Bound & Summer At the Little Street Bakery

Houston, Texas, 1961

The race to the moon is on, and engineer Eugene Parsons has two enemies: danger and distraction. Nothing is more distracting than his attraction to the brilliant, beautiful computer scientist on his team, but he’s determined to overcome it since he needs her to help America win.

Charlie Eason is used to men underestimating her. It comes with being a woman in engineering, but it’s worth it to join the space race—even if she can’t figure out what’s behind the intense looks one tightly wound engineer keeps sending her. But life isn’t as unemotional or predictable as code, and things soon boil over with the intriguingly demanding Parsons.

With every launch, their secret affair grows thornier. The lines between work and play tangle even as Parsons and Charlie try to keep them separate. But when a mission goes wrong, they’ll have to put aside their pride for the greater good—and discover that matters of the heart have a logic all their own. ~ Goodreads


Source: e-arc provided in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I adore the Fly Me to the Moon series, and especially the 1960’s setting. Earth Bound was less swoony/romantic than the previous books and more of a workplace focused.

Eugene Parson, the Director of Engineering and Development at the ASD (American Space Department), and Charlie Eason, his Deputy Director, carry on a secret affair for several years, meeting up in a seedy motel. They agree to never talk shop while there – and never to talk about the relationship at work. They are both very career focused and the success of the astronauts mission to space takes precedent over everything. For the most part this arrangement works for the both of them.

Earth Bound does an excellent job of plunging you into the space race of that time – trying to beat the Russians and all the rampant sexism of that era. Charlie is the best and the brightest at ASD, she should be running the department, yet the men continually underestimate or outright ignore her (and the other female employees) at every turn. Her frustration is palpable – as is Parson’s – who is only concerned about getting to space and back safely. He doesn’t have time for sexist bullshit and I loved him for that.

The romance was so different than anything I’m used to. It felt very detached. While they meet for years at the motel, we – the reader – aren’t privy to most of it. So while I understood their connection and why they were so perfect for each other – it felt cold - or maybe sexy cool? - at times. It was one of those things that felt off while I was reading yet I really fell in love with them as couple when I closed the book. Weird but that’s how it worked for me.

While this wasn’t the super swoony romance of the previous books – I do recommend Earth Bound if you want to read about a snapshot in time – because these two authors get every 60’s era detail just right or if you are a fan of romances that are more career focused – especially if you loved the movie Apollo 13 because there was a lot of technical/space stuff for fans to geek out on.



A thriving bakery. A lighthouse to call home. A handsome beekeeper. A pet puffin. These are the things that Polly Waterford can call her own. This is the beautiful life she leads on a tiny island off the southern coast of England.

But clouds are gathering on the horizon. A stranger threatens to ruin Polly’s business. Her beloved boyfriend seems to be leading a secret life. And the arrival of a newcomer—a bereft widow desperately searching for a fresh start—forces Polly to reconsider the choices she’s made, even as she tries to help her new friend through grief.

Unpredictable and unforgettable, this delightful novel will make you laugh, cry, and long for a lighthouse of your own. Recipes included. ~ Goodreads


Source: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I hadn’t read the first book in the Little Beach Street Bakery series – this is book #2 – but the author gave a comprehensive recap at the beginning so I was able to catch up very easily.

The adorable, quirk factor is what makes this book. Set in the tiny Cornish coastal town of Mount Polbearne, complete with cobbled streets, small shops, fisherman and oh yeah – a pet puffin named Neil – you can’t help but be enchanted.

While I enjoyed this book a lot and would highly recommend it for a fun beach read…there were a few things that kept me from loving it.

There were several abrupt pov changes (a few within the same paragraph) & Polly, the heroine, could be so passive at times that I almost quit reading once or twice.

But if you’re looking for a cute, fluffy read with an adorable quaint setting – give this one a try.

Music: Kygo

I always feel weird when I pick happier, upbeat music - it goes against my negative nature lol

But I like both of these songs and love the official lyric videos which are usually pretty boring.

Kygo is a Norwegian DJ, songwriter and record producer ~ website

STAY - Kygo ft Maty Noyes

 

RAGING - Kygo ft. Kodaline

Review: Soundless by Richelle Mead

In a village without sound…

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.
One girl hears a call to action…

Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.

She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…And unlocks a power that will save her people. ~ Goodreads

Source: Borrrowed

Review:

Soundless is an interesting mix of fantasy, folklore and dystopian elements. The residents of Fei’s village are all deaf. That is something they have all come to accept. It just is. But now many of the villagers are also going blind and no one knows why.

This presents a problem because the villagers mine metals and send them to the mysterious - never before seen - line keeper in exchange for food. If the miners are going blind and can’t send metals the village will starve.

Add to the mystery – Fei, and only Fei, is regaining her hearing.

Fei’s sister, Zheng, is one of the people beginning to go blind. Currently, they serve the village as artists who document their daily life – kind of like a newspaper. If the Elders notice Zheng’s blindness she will be moved and become either a servant or even a beggar, living on the streets.

Fei teams up with a boy, Li Wei, who she once had a romantic interest in before they were separated by class lines – he is a miner – miners marry miners – artists marry artists etc. No one has ever met the line keeper and Li Wei has suspicions that they are being lied to or that he can negotiate for more food. It’s a  dangerous journey as the line keeper’s village is down a steep mountain that they can only access by climbing down with rope, which is difficult in the best of conditions but made worse by being deaf and unable to hear rocks falling.

I enjoyed Soundless, but it’s a very quiet kind of story. I adored Fei’s loyalty to her sister and would have loved if it was told from both of their pov’s. Fei is actually kind of happy with her life and choices. Her artistic talents are lauded by the elders and she has a prominent place in her village. It seems to me that Zheng, who is only a passable artist, has more to lose, and honestly, more to say but the focus shifts to Fei and Li Wei’s adventure down the mountain, instead of the sister relationship.

The romance is also very subtle, which was fine with me, but I didn’t really care either. With everyone going blind and starving – Li Wei being upset that Fei left him to be an artist and her still having feelings for him seemed like the least of the things they should be worried about.

Soundless was a lovely story with lovely writing yet it didn't pack an emotional punch. Instead of being breathless when the characters were in danger I was just following along.

So - I liked it - I'm happy I read it - and would recommend it but I wish the characters and relationships carried more weight.
______________________________________________________________________________

Soundless is part of my Blogger Shame review Challenge

hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup to clear out those older books that keep getting pushed aside because...Ooh! New! Shiny!

Blogger Shame Review Challenge Progress  

  6/12 books

May TBR pile…

I’m a mood reader so we’ll see how this goes but the plan is to get through this stack of books – all for review (except The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris – which was a b’day gift and for fun read).

Have you guys read any of these? What’s on your May TBR pile?

April reading wrap-up

April was a good month for reading – number’s wise anyway with 16 total books read. While there were a few stand outs – most were meh kind of reads.

YA

Romance

LGBQT Romance

Favorites:

Until September, Beta Test, Phase Shift

DNF:

Selfie

Everything else:

Enjoyable but didn’t blow me away

Challenges:

I’m doing really well with my Goodreads Reading Challenge – 66 out 120 books read for 2016

2016 Reading Challenge

Karen has read 66 books toward her goal of 120 books.

hide

66 of 120 (55%)

view books

I’m on target with my Blogger Shame Challenge – I’ve read 56out of my goal of 12 books for 2016.



Blogging:
 I WAS doing pretty well there too. I had scheduled 2 posts a week for 4 weeks in advance but then I got sick for a week and now I’m back to zero posts drafted. Oh well. You win some – you lose some. lol SO posts may be sporadic until I get back up to speed again.

Review: Phase Shift (Chaos Station, #5) by Jenn Burke, Kelly Jensen

Zander and Felix’s relationship has always pushed boundaries—personal and professional alike—but their love and commitment is stronger than ever. So strong that Zander’s ready to ask commitment-shy Felix the question of a lifetime when he’s interrupted. The Chaos is being hacked, and crucial, top secret information about the project that created Zander—and his fellow super soldiers—has been leaked.

Neither man could have expected the enormity of what’s discovered at the end of the data trail: an entire colony of super soldiers run by the very doctor who changed Zander’s life forever. And now she needs them both—Zander to train her new crop of soldiers, and Felix’s new crystalline arm to stabilize their body chemistry.

With help from the unlikeliest of allies, Zander, Felix and theChaos crew must destroy the project and all its ill-gotten information. But when the team is split up and Felix is MIA after a dangerous run, galactic disaster is a very real possibility…and Zander may have missed his chance to ask for forever. ~ Goodreads


Source: e-arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:
Phase Shift is the 5th, and last book, in the Chaos Station series. While it’s always sad to say goodbye to characters and a world I love – this was the perfect send off.

Burke and Jensen put poor Felix and Zed through the emotional and physical wringer during this series and they have finally gotten their, well deserved, HEA. Not without a few more obstacles thrown their way of course.

Phase Shift had absolutely everything I was hoping for...romance, action, answers and plenty of time with all of the Chaos crew.

Despite not being a huge fan of sci-fi this quickly became one of my favorite series and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for complex relationships and Firefly like action!

You can check out my Speed Date review of the first three book here.