Review: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six: The band's album Aurora came to define the rock 'n' roll era of the late seventies, and an entire generation of girls wanted to grow up to be Daisy. But no one knows the reason behind the group's split on the night of their final concert at Chicago Stadium on July 12, 1979 . . . until now. 

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock 'n' roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. 

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. 

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend. 

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice. ~ Goodreads

Source: Library | Audiobook (I HIGHLY recommend this on audio)

Review: First of all – it’s a blogging miracle - A REVIEW!!! lol

This book was SO hyped so I had been avoiding it. But, honestly, I didn’t know much about it. I knew it was about a band but I thought Daisy was murdered and it was a thriller lol I just kept hearing that I MUST listen to this on audio and I was looking for my next audiobook and put it on hold at my library.

Daisy Jones & the Six is NOT a thriller – Daisy isn’t dead but if you were a fan of VH1’s Behind the Music docuseries or 70’s rock bands this might be the book for you. The story of the rise and fall of the band is told documentary style through interviews with the band members and those surrounding them (spouses, photographers, managers, etc.).

I wasn’t sure I could get past that this wasn’t a real band and that these weren’t real people. I also imagine the documentary style format comes off very dry in print – hence the audio recommendation. This is a full production with a full cast so it truly feels like a documentary and I quickly fell down the rabbit hole and was hooked. It’s rare for me to forget I’m reading these days and to get totally lost in the book and wonder with baited breath what’s going to happen next. But I did with Daisy Jones & the Six.

The story is exactly what you expect. Two brothers round out their band with new members and try to make it big. They're plodding along until lightening strikes with the addition of Daisy and her connection to lead singer Billy. It’s a cliché but they butt heads and then make beautiful music together. The band has a meteoric rise which always comes with the fall. Love, sex, drugs, rock & roll – this story hits all the notes & I won’t say too much more because of spoilers.

What makes this book stand out from your typical rock & roll tale is the agency it gives the women. In any other story, gorgeous Daisy would enter the story – every guy would want to fuck her, she would be taken advantage of, abused, spiral and be the catalyst for Billy’s story.

These things are true but Daisy isn’t anyone’s manic pixie dream girl…

Daisy

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else's muse.
I am not a muse.
I am the somebody.
End of fucking story.”

She learns early on what the industry can do to woman and asks – no – demands – what she deserves before joining the band. Daisy is many things – beautiful, talented, self absorbed, a drug addict but she’s no pushover. 

Nor is Karen, a band member having an affair with Billy’s brother and fellow band member Graham (voiced by Benjamin Bratt). She doesn’t want to follow the traditional path for women of those times and a lot of great heartbreaking and female bonding moments come from that conflict.

The rest of the band isn't nearly as interesting but the dynamics and resentments still are. This is Billy and Daisy's world - everyone else just lives in it. Their opinion only seems to matter if Billy or Daisy need them on their side. Otherwise both Billy and Daisy are pretty clueless and not so great band mates. 

Billy and his wife Camilla were the most intriguing to me. They’re marriage is both rock solid and as fragile as glass. Camilla is understanding of what it means to be married to a rock star and recovered addict. Billy is always trying to be the man Camilla sees him as while being constantly pulled into Daisy’s orbit and on the edge of relapse while on the road.

Camilla makes so many interesting choices. I’m not sure I could have made the same ones or that I always agreed with her, but it takes a mature woman to understand her own worth, lay down her rules and then…trust in them, trust in Billy. She was pragmatic, empathetic and maybe a tad unrealistic as a character but it’s something not often seen of women in literature and something to aspire to. 

Love them or hate them - the characters of Daisy Jones & the Six made their choices and were willing to live with the consequences. 

This is getting long and rambly – which is why I hate writing reviews for books I really enjoy – so I’ll just wrap this up.

The book is not without flaws. Some pov’s are more interesting than others, there are lulls, and there are often abrupt shifts in pov just to add one or two lines of information that felt off, it is a cliché story you’ve probably heard a thousand times but the audiobook and the way the characters can’t be pigeonholed really elevated this for me. Even if you don't like audiobooks - give it a try. It's more like listening to a podcast.

While reading this all I could think of was Fleetwood Mac & that bands tumultuous history, so I googled it and the book was inspired by the band and one particular moment which you can read about in this article by Jenkins on Hello Sunshine. I remember that moment between Stevie and Lindsey that Jenkins is talking about and the obvious chemistry they have whenever they played Landslide together.

 

I also have a few spoiler thoughts for those of you that read the book – if you reply back make sure to add a SPOILER tag in the comments or DM me on twitter/instagram/email.

SPOILER –> What did you think of Camilla’s choice to stand by Billy even though he was in love with Daisy? I felt like she was more of his anchor to sobriety than the love of his life but – I can’t discount how important that is in a long term relationship. She believed in him and, for the most part, he lived up to that for her. At the point she realized his feelings for Daisy they had 3 kids and a family to protect. And it seems like maybe she had a one day fling??

Daisy was, by her own admission, selfish back then. And didn’t care if she wrecked their marriage – and I think Daisy and Billy would have went down in flames pretty quickly with that level of passion and probably drugs/alcohol. I think they were closer in temperament but that’s not necessarily love – or the kind that lasts anyway.

Do you think they can make it now that they’re so much older and learned to love themselves (mainly Daisy) or would they just be good friends?  <- END SPOLIER

Have you read this book? Do you love music bio's. Dating myself - did you watch Behind the Music on VH1? Does VH1 still exist?? lol

Review: The Dark Lady (Mad Passions #1) by Maire Claremont

The Victorian era was full of majestic beauty and scandalous secrets—a time when corsets were the least of a woman’s restrictions, and men could kill or be killed in the name of honor...

Lord Ian Blake has returned from India a broken man. Years ago, he pledged to Lady Eva Carin—his childhood companion and first love—that he would bring her husband back alive. His failure haunts him. But even his jaded soul can’t anticipate the shocking sight of beautiful, independent Eva confined in a madhouse.

Locked in an asylum, forgotten by society, Eva is adrift in both body and mind. For Ian to break her free, they must cross a powerful enemy—and prove her sanity to England’s unforgiving aristocracy. But the biggest danger of all may come when the secrets of Eva’s tragic past are finally unlocked. ~ Goodreads

Review:
This book started out SO good. Really dark and unlike anything I've read before, especially in a Historical Romance.

The heroine, Lady Eva Carin, had lost her husband to war and her infant son in an unfortunate accident of her doing. The trauma and guilt sent her into such a state of depression that her brother-in-law sent her to an asylum, claiming her insane. Polite society believes she is "resting" at a lovely spa but poor Eva is really living in horrific conditions where the patients become hooked on laudanum and are beaten or even raped on a regular basis.

Lord Ian Blake comes back from the war in India to ask Eva for forgiveness to relieve a heavy burden on his heart concerning Eva's dead husband Hamilton. The three were best friends as children but grew apart due to Hamilton's increasing jealousy of Ian. Still Ian followed Hamilton to war with a promise to Eva to protect him. When he realizes what has happened to Eva in his absence, he stops at nothing to rescue her and prove her sanity. Recusing her from the asylum turns out to be the easy part. Riding out Eva's addictions, getting her to trust again and overcoming both their guilty conscious is more difficult than he imagined.

I know this sounds really dark, and it is, but it's so beautifully written and once Ian enters the picture with his stubborn determination, you know that things will get better for Eva soon. I love how the author was able to address really tough topics while still giving the reader something to hope for. The relationship between Ian and Eva is not one of instant lust, or the usual silly romance. After what Eva has been through, you know her mind will take time to heal and Claremont gives her characters the space and time they need. They have a very strong foundation to build on from their past friendship.
The Dark Lady is told in alternating pov's including a few past tense chapters from Hamilton. It was a great way to show how everyone first became friends and how it turned sour.

Unfortunately around the half way mark the story took a turn more towards integrating Eva into proper society. To be fair, I HATE this part of historical romances so I might not be the best person to judge this aspect. Eva had to be accepted and shown to be sane to get out from under her brother-in-law thumb so it's understood that she would have to be introduced back into society. What didn't work for me was that there was such a focus on that aspect that it took me away from her and Ian's relationship, losing focus of both Eva & Ian's inner demons. At that point they were just ….I want you, but I'm a horrible person, I did horrible things…then Eva is whisked away for a week to learn to drink tea. While Ian started out so steadfast, he was suddenly acting aloof. I wasn't really into that.

I was so very happy that Eva and Ian get their HEA (I don't think I'm spoiling anything with that did bit) but it happened so quickly and way too neatly for my tastes. It almost had a soap opera feel. This is the first book in a new series called Mad Passions. We were introduced to Mary (Eva's cellmate) but by setting up Mary's book there were thread's to Eva's story that were left wide open.

Final thoughts: This book starts out dark, so it's probably not for the faint of heart but it really is a heartwarming story of triumph and worth it if you can get through that part. I don't think the second half lived up to the potential of the first but it was still very good.

Author: Website | Twitter
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! The Dark Lady: A Novel of Mad Passions

Review: Falling For Her Fiancé by Cindi Madsen

Danielle and Wes have been best friends since college, so when Wes needs a date for his sister’s wedding and Dani needs a partner for her company’s retreat, they devise the perfect plan: a fake engagement to get through both events unscathed. Adrenaline-junkie Wes can prove to both his ex and his family that he’s well and truly moved on, and serious-minded Dani can prove to her boss that she’s worthy of the promotion he seems to only want to give to a family-oriented employee.

But amid the fake swoons, fake kisses, and forced proximity, neither expects the very real feelings that develop. There’s nothing more dangerous than falling for your best friend…but what if the landing is worth the fall? ~ Goodreads

Review:I absolutely adored this book!

I love the whole falling in love with your best friend trope but it has to be pulled off in a certain way or I'm just not buying it, especially when you're adding a fake engagement to the mix. I do not enjoy fake engagements.

Cindi Madsen pulled it off.

Falling For Her Fiancé was romantic and sexy. Often this storyline is pulled off with increasingly wacky plot twists but Danielle and Wes are two fabulous characters that I would love to hang out with and were completely believable. They genuinely cared about each others well being and the future of their friendship when they decided they wanted it to become more. They have a real foundation to build a relationship on and they approached it carefully. I just loved how it was about more than sudden lust.
Danielle and Wes steam up the pages without being overly explicit. When stories fade to black for the sex you're usually left with a chaste kiss, not believing in the sexual chemistry at all. Not so with these two! I felt all swoony and happy with this couple.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 Falling For Her Fiancé is a tried and true trope formula but Cindi Madsen gets it right with great characters, steamy romance and just enough angst to pull on your heartstrings.

Author: website
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Bliss)
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! Falling for Her Fiance

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong. ~ Goodreads

Review:This is another very popular book I just didn't connect with. It could be because all I heard going in was how crazy and twisted it was. What's real? What isn't? Is Mara crazy? Maybe it's because I just finished a truly twisty book (Mind Games by Kiersten White) but I didn't feel like there was a big mystery. Mara just needed to regain her memories in my opinion. Then the book took a sudden turn towards the paranormal that pretty much strips away all the psychological build up and gives an easy out. I guessed almost everything from that point on.

I think the biggest problem I had is that both Mara and her love interest Noah felt flat to me. While it wasn't quite insta-love…it turned inexplicably from we're attracted to each other to I love you. And what's with Noah and the "mine" crap? Noah is the hot, brilliant, British, rich boy who's a man whore (yet maybe not) that has finally found a connection with a girl. He's ok when you get to know him but his alpha tendencies turned me off and he’s just too unbelievably perfect.

The writing and plotting felt uneven to me. There were endless descriptions of Mara's day then something big would finally happen only to have Mara or Noah just walk away like ti was nothing. The next page we’re on to a new thing. I felt like I was paying attention to everything for no reason. There seemed to dozens of things going on: an abused dog, a mean girl scenario, visions of dead people, court cases, teachers who throw chalk at their students (?), kidnappings and more yet it at over 400 pages it never really amounts to anything.

Rating: 2.5 out of 4 So….I didn't so much dislike this book as I didn't have any strong feelings either way. It was fine but not the compelling psychological thriller I was expecting although I am glad that I read it.


Update: I read book #2, The Evolution of Mara Dyer and while I did connect with the characters more this time around, I still feel like the author keeps setting up these BIG moments only to drop them in the next chapter.

After almost 1000 pages between the two books I don't feel like we've gotten very far.

Again, I still don't find this series very twisty. It's hard for me to describe this without spoilers so I'll be all cryptic…..the whole premise holding the story together is an unreliable narrator. I don't find Mara unreliable. The story seems very straightforward to me. I guess I’m a party pooper and can’t just let my mind go with it.

Almost everyone loves this series and finds it to be crazy twisty and dark so I definitely think you should all give it a try despite my opinions. Most readers enjoy the second book even more, which is why I gave it a shot. I'm just curious enough to see how she wraps this up in one book so I'll probably read book #3 too.

Author: website | twitter
Source: Gifted
Buy the book! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer | The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer Trilogy)
* Information and cover reveal for book #3 The Retribution of Mara Dyer. I LOVE this cover. It’s my favorite from the series.

Review: Hooked (Hooked #1) by Liz Fichera

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED. ~ Goodreads

Review:
Fred Oday is a Native American girl who lives on the reservation (the Rez) but attends public school. She also has a killer golf swing which comes completely naturally to her, garnering the attention of her varsity high school golf club coach. He has visions of turning his currently losing all boys team into tournament champions with the addition of Fred.

Unfortunately, to make room for Fred someone else has to go and that's Seth. Seth doesn't take the news well and tries to sabotage Fred, often using his best friend and Fred's new team partner Ryan against her. The other boys are angry as well that a girl got on the team without even having to try out. To say that her practices are intense is an understatement.

Fred is under so much pressure and always handles it with grace. Her mother is an alcoholic, her family is poor. Fred's father works at the golf course - he's not a member like the rich white kids and their families. All these things make Fred stand out and separate from everyone else at school and on her team. Not to mention her old, plaid golf bag and worn sneakers instead of golf shoes.

I love how Fred always embraces her heritage and doesn't let being the only girl on the team get her down. No matter how cruel the boys can be. She has a dream for her future and she's grabbing this opportunity in the hopes of a college scholarship.

I thought I would be completely bored or at the very least lost when it came to the golfing but I wasn't. It's such a part of Fred and the way she describes closing her eyes and taking that swing made me excited for her and I actually wanted to read more about the game.

The romance took me awhile to warm up to. It plays out over the course of the book and I'm not sure how I felt about Ryan. He's a rich white kid with a rebellious nature and family problems. My issue with Ryan is how passive he is when it comes to defending Fred at first. He's caught between liking her and his friends who make fun of her for being Native American (and a girl). I do get that this happens. We all like to think we are going to stand up for what's right but I do remember high school and I think Ryan reflects the reality even if it irritated me. I think he redeemed himself but I didn't see why he was worth fighting for. He takes way too long to grow a pair and I kept finding myself disappointed in him.

Seth on the other hand….he goes beyond acceptable or redeemable behavior. In fact I think he should be in jail and it bothered me how much and how long Ryan defended him.

This is Fichera’s debut novel and she is a welcome voice to YA, adding much needed diversity to the genre. Hooked addresses bullying and racism head on. Both the white kids and Fred's Native American friends held deep seated misconceptions and mistrust of each other showing that it isn't just a one sided issue.

Rating 3 out of 4: I really enjoyed reading about Fred, a girl who goes for what she wants, even when it is difficult while still embracing the things that make her who she is. I hoped for more from Ryan on the boyfriend front but I did like the way it eventually played out. Hooked gives a positive twist on the wrong side of the tracks love story with a strong, independent protagonist who believes in herself and isn’t waiting for some boy to save her.

Author: website | twitter
Source: From HarlequinTEEN for my honest review
Buy the book! Release date January 29, 2013 Hooked (Harlequin Teen)

Book Trailer:



Liz visited For What It's Worth a few weeks ago to discuss the inspiration for writing Hooked. You can check it out here.

Review: Sugar Rush by Rachel Astor

There’s nothing quite like your first bite.

Dulcie Carter has been running her family’s homemade sweet shop, Candy Land Confections, on her own since her mom passed away. But business is slow and rent is high, so Dulcie knows if she wants to keep her mom’s dream alive, she’ll need a miracle. Winning the annual Assembly of Chocolatiers competition will change everything, if only she can overcome her fears and bring herself to create something new for the first time in a long time.

Then she meets Nick, a molten-hot guy with a sexy smirk and chocolate brown eyes. The attraction is stronger than any sugar rush—until she discovers he’s set to inherit his family’s big-box candy shop in town, which is her strongest competitor for first prize. Nick’s got his own reasons for needing the win, but then being around Dulcie is proving addictive.

As the competition heats up, so do the sparks between them. Can they keep their sights on winning, when love might be the sweetest prize of all? ~ Goodreads

Review:

Sugar Rush is the story of nice guy who dreams of baking cupcakes who runs into the perfect girl who dreams of carrying on her mother’s legacy of candy making….only to have their romance abruptly halted by a long standing family feud and Chocolatier competition.

This title is published under Entangled Publishing’s Bliss line. Bliss stories are “sweet & sassy short romance.” If you need a break from the almost constant barrage of 50 Shades type erotica they have this cute tag line: “at Bliss we like to say our heroes and heroines still jump in the sack…it just then fades to black.”

This was a refreshingly sweet (& I mean that quite literally with all the talk of cupcakes and candy making!) romance with two endearing and realistic characters. Both Dulcie and Nick have major baggage trying to live up to their families candy making legacies but take that chance on love.

There are the standard miscommunications and meddling family to keep our lovebirds apart a little longer than we would like but I didn’t find it annoying at all. It never veered into that over the top kookiness that I sometimes find in small town/family romances. These are nice people and you just want everyone to sit down with a plate of cupcakes, candy and hot cocoa to hash this whole thing out so Nick & Dulcie can be happy.

The absolute highlight of this book is the drool inducing food descriptions. If you don’t run out and buy yourself a cupcake or chocolate after this you have more resistance than I do!
As the Bliss line suggests – we fade to black for the good stuff but we still get plenty of steamy kissing scenes.


Rating 3 out of 4: Super cute, sweet story! Fun, a little sexy and heartfelt, Sugar Rush is a great, quick read to add a touch of romance to your day.

Author: Website | Twitter
Source: Provided by Entangled Publishing for my honest review
Buy the book! Sugar Rush ($2.99)

Photos courtesy of stock.xchng

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own. ~ Goodreads

Review:
Vessel is a beautiful, richly detailed story that is full of action, yet moves very slowly and deliberately as it unravels Liyana's tale of sacrifice and self discovery.

Liyana has lived her life preparing as a vessel for the Goddess Bayla. The God's choose one person from each desert tribe to inhabit for the next 100 years and perform miracles that will ensure the tribes survival. It is a great honor to be chosen as a vessel but you do forfeit your life. When the time comes for Liyana to sacrifice herself and save her tribe, the Bayla never shows up, leaving Liyana ostracized by her people and left on her own in the desert to survive.

Liyana is saved by Korbyn, the trickster God, who realizes that the God's have not abandoned their tribes but are in trouble and unable to take over their vessels. Liyana agrees to help Korbyn find out what is happening and then eventually follow through with her plan to sacrifice herself to her Goddess and save her people.

As they travel looking for the other vessels a relationship of sorts develops between the two and the ethics of the whole process begins to get murky. Korbyn starts to see Liyana as more than a vessel and begins to question the practice of sacrificing a human life just to host the God's so they can roam around earth a little longer. They do serve a purpose and help the tribes survive the harsh desert life but does the vessel have to die in order for this to happen?

Liyana starts to develop feelings for Korbyn as well but she's living on borrowed time and her body/life is not her own. Also add in the Korbyn is trying to get his lifelong lover, Bayla into Liyana's body, thereby killing her. Oy….it's complicated with these two.

I love delving into moral dilemma's and this was my favorite part of Vessel. It asks a lot of questions about faith, justification for war, humanity and lets the reader explore the answers for themselves. The villain, the Emperor, is complex as are the vessels and God's they meet  along the way. My favorite was Raan who did not want to give her body to her Goddess and fought all the way. That is unheard of in this world. This also starts to break down Liyana's resolve for sacrificing herself to Bayla whom she finally meets. Unfortunately the God's and Goddess's have not become as altruistic as Korbyn has in their absence.

I think for most readers the overwhelming draw will be to the trickster God, Korbyn, but personally I was fascinated with the Emperor and the motivations for his actions. I felt really short changed with his character though. He's an important factor to the outcome of this tale, yet we never get to see the full development of his storyline. He almost felt tacked on and it made his concluding storyline feel a little "less" than it should have been.

Rating: 3 out of 4 The pacing for Vessel is very methodical, slowly unraveling the tales and fables of the God's. The storytelling is gorgeous but the writing style does slow things down quite a bit. When Korbyn and Liyana first started out to collect the vessels I was fascinated, then I got that antsy feeling and I started thinking -  can we just get to them all already? When all the various threads with the God's, vessels and Emperor tied back together near the end I was pulled right back in. Liyana is a wonderful protagonist and a great example of a strong, vibrant, girl who explores romantic feelings but remains true to herself.

Author: Website | Twitter
Source: Received for review from the author via Simon & Schuster for my honest review
Buy the book! Vessel

Check out my Interview with Sarah!

Review: Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration #2) by Lia Habel

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

Lia Habel’s spellbinding, suspenseful sequel to Dearly, Departed takes her imaginative mash-up of period romance, futuristic thriller, and zombie drama to a whole new level of innovative and irresistible storytelling. ~ Goodreads

Review:
I really, really hoped (& wanted) to love this one but the pacing was so slow and I didn't feel any of the wonder that I felt with Dearly, Departed. The whimsical descriptions of New Victoria and discovery of the zombies was mostly absent this time around.

The multiple POV's are continued here and while I wasn't a huge fan of them in book #1, I felt that they at least overlapped and added to the overall story arc. In Dearly, Beloved the characters all have such similar voices that I had problems telling them apart. Also, instead of giving a different perspective to a scene, the pov’s kept whipping me away and throwing me in a new direction. That kept making me have to take time to adjust every time.

Despite dire consequences for New Victoria, because of the rising tensions with human – zombie relations, there was somehow a lack of drama throughout most of the book.

Dearly, Beloved focuses more on zombie rights and politics than action. While I love a good moral dilemma and debate I just couldn't drum up any excitement here. Even the relationship between Nora and Bram wasn’t enough to hold my interest even though I still like them both.

It seems that most other readers enjoyed Dearly, Beloved it so definitely give it a try. The writing was top notch but it just wasn't as compelling as Dearly, Departed for me.

Rating: 2 out of 4 This sequel just didn’t work for me between the multiple POV’s and lack of the whimsy and drama that I found so captivating in the first book.

Author: website | twitter
Source: ARC provided for review by Authors After Dark
Buy the book! Dearly, Beloved: A Zombie Novel (book #2) | Dearly, Departed: A Zombie Novel (book #1)

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay.
All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

Please Note: This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language. ~ Goodreads

Review:
I stayed up into the wee hours last night finishing The Sea of Tranquility and I’m emotionally spent.

This book opened my heart then crushed it with a hammer, only to make me open it again – to take a chance. (and crush it again lol)

Nastya and Josh are so incredibly broken and make so many mistakes trying to protect their hearts that I wanted to simultaneously shake them and wrap them up in a giant hug. I was so frustrated yet I could not read fast enough. This level of angst usually irritates me but for some reason it didn't with this book.

The Sea of Tranquility is filled with moments. Beautiful, heartbreaking moments. I was almost physically ill at certain points in this book.

Am I scaring you away now? I hope not because along with all the raw emotions there is a great deal of levity provided by an amazing cast of supporting characters that deserve their own stories to be told.

I will say that The Sea of Tranquility has a very slow build. You may be tempted to skip ahead or even give up but if you stick with it you’ll see the purpose and reap the rewards.

Favorite quotes:

"My name is Nastya Kashnikov.
I was a piano-playing prodigy...
I was murdered two and a half years ago.
Discuss." 

“I believe in God, Sunshine. I’ve always believed that God exists,” he says. And what he says next isn’t self-pity or angst or melodrama. It’s truth.“I just know that he hates me.”

“We're like mysteries to one another. Maybe if I can solve him and he can solve me, we can explain each other. Maybe that's what I need. Someone to explain me.”

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 Damn!This book hurt to read at times, but it was totally worth it in the end.

Author: Twitter | Goodreads
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! The Sea of Tranquility

*Thanks to author Ann Aguirre for yet another great book recommendation!

MUST read Monday! The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

Must Read Monday is a weekly feature hosted by Jen from What's on the Bookshelf to showcase a book or series (old or new) that we recommend.

This week I’m choosing The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle.

Summary: Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

 ~ Goodreads | Amazon

 

Why you MUST read!

If you had ever told me that a book that combines dystopia, the Amish, romance, philosophical discussions about religion and creepy ass vampires would have me riveted and going through a stack of post-it tabs, I would have called you crazy! But The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle did just that.

As with any book I truly love - I suck at reviewing it. I'll keep this short and sweet.

The Hallowed Ones is original, thought provoking, and hauntingly creepy.

A sampling of my favorite quotes:

"I should have listened.

But that was not my nature. I always questioned."

*****

"If he's looking for . . .  a mouse, I'm sure that there are plenty of them about. But you're not a mouse. You're intelligent, brave as hell, and you're cute."

*****

"Just a little levity. Though . . . not every guy gets to go play firebug with a wizard and Bonnet the Vampire Slayer."

*****

"I did not believe much of anything that anyone else told me anymore.

But I believed him."

*****

“God smiles upon those who quietly do His dirty work.”

Rating: 4 out of 4 The Hallowed Ones has just made it to my Top 10 list for 2012. I can't remember reading anything this fresh, original and challenging in a very long time. Katie is a heroine you can root for. Intelligent but very realistic in what is essentially a coming of age story wrapped up in an incredibly dark and scary horror package.

*Not for the squeamish* There are a few (awesome!!) graphic scenes depicting violence. These are NOT sparkly, romantic, vampires.

Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Purchased

Review: The City’s Son (The Skyscraper Throne #1)by Tom Pollock

Expelled from school, betrayed by her best friend and virtually ignored by her dad, who’s never recovered from the death of her mum, Beth Bradley retreats to the sanctuary of the streets, looking for a new home. What she finds is Filius Viae, the ragged and cocky crown prince of London, who opens her eyes to the place she’s never truly seen.

But the hidden London is on the brink of destruction. Reach, the King of the Cranes, is a malign god of demolition, and he wants Filius dead. In the absence of the Lady of the Streets, Filius’ goddess mother, Beth rouses Filius to raise an alleyway army, to reclaim London’s skyscraper throne for the mother he’s never known. Beth has almost forgotten her old life – until her best friend and her father come searching for her, and she must choose between the streets and the life she left behind. ~ Goodreads

Review:

First of all - this is Tom Pollock's DEBUT novel? Say what? Incredible.

The City's Son is one of the most complex, inventive, wild rides I've been on in a long time. No review I write can do it justice or explain even 1/10 of the plot. And honestly I don't want to examine it too closely. I had fun reading it and I want to keep that feeling - not dissect it to death. So here's a brief review instead and I'll leave a few links after my review to people who did it better.

The City's Son is classified as Urban Fantasy, but relies heavily on the fantasy element even though it takes place on the gritty modern streets of London. It is also classified as a YA, but there is enough gore and violence that had me squirming despite my having a high tolerance for such things. I am not usually a fan of the fantasy genre and I have to admit because of that I was almost completely lost for the first half of the book. I didn't care.

Pollock's writing plunges you right into this living, breathing city daring you to keep up. That is no exaggeration - he has created a LIVING, BREATHING city. I don't think I could ever adequately describe it. It's a world where a person can absorb strength from running barefoot across the pavement, glass creatures light the streets, spiders can steal your voice while they calmingly whisper I love you and where construction cranes can come to life from bones of the cities denizens, sacrificed to bring back a God.

The characters are brash, vulnerable and brave and the story just keeps expanding and twisting. It's almost too much plot at times but the ending is so freaking good it's worth all the time and effort of scribbled notes and post it tabs I needed to keep up.

The City's Son doesn't end in a cliffhanger but instead with infinite possibilities. I can't wait to read The Glass Republic to see where Pollock takes us next. I have no clue.

Rating 3.5 out of 4: Brilliant debut novel. I only knock it the half star because of the writing style which comes bursting out of the gate with little preamble or explanation. I absolutely loved it, but because of that choice it took me awhile to understand all the new words/creatures and fantasy elements that were coming at me. That could be because I'm not a big reader of the fantasy genre though.

"Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it." -Lloyd Alexander

I feel this quote describes The City's Son perfectly. This is pure fantasy, yet as with all good writing, it reflects society and has an amazing amount of depth and understanding of our current issues.

A few more reviews that explain it better:
The Book Smugglers
Vampire Book Club
Paperback Dolls

Author: Website | Twitter
Publisher: Flux
Source: Won the book in a Twitter giveaway from author Ann Aguirre . It was already on my to buy list because of how much she loved this one.
Buy the book! City's Son (Skyscraper Throne 1)

This is the US cover for The City's Son. The one at the top of this post is the UK cover - which I LOVE it! So gorgeous & it's the version I own. In case you're looking for it at the bookstore though, this is what you'll be looking for.

Review: Skinny by Donna Cooner

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own. ~ Goodreads

Review:
The publishers from the Scholastic booth at BEA were very enthusiastic about this title and really talked it up. From their explanation and from the summary, I expected there to be a lot of inner monologue between the main character, Ever, and the sabotaging voice inside her head, Skinny. That's not something I typically enjoy so I'm happy to say that was not the case.

Ever is a 15 year girl that weighs over 300 pounds who struggles with her self image and of course from the judgment of the people around her. Her mom died and her father has since remarried bringing a new mother figure and step sisters into the picture. Her step mom and sisters are beautiful and Ever feels like she doesn’t belong. She misses her mom and uses food to comfort her instead.

In her head she hears "Skinny" who tells her what people are *really thinking*.  For example Ever is a wonderful singer and wants to go for a spot in the drama club that would require her to sing in front of everyone but Skinny tells her:

"But who wants to see an elephant dancing around?"

Skinny stops Ever from moving forward or losing weight and from forming friendships. This is written very well and doesn't become a constant conversation between he two. Just a subtle reminder of what Ever perceives people's reactions to her to be.

Ever finally decides that she needs to make a big change and opts for gastric bypass surgery. I'm sure some readers are going to have a problem with this decision. As far as a novel exploring the surgery, it's a good one. Gastric bypass surgery is no picnic and it isn't portrayed as one. However, I also didn't think the story explored her other options enough. I was particularly stunned that the Dr. asked Ever how many calories are in a hamburger and when she answered the correct number, he used that as proof to her concerned father that she already understood dieting and her options. In my opinion she was 15 and should have taken time and counseling to explore every option even if it led her back to gastric bypass surgery eventually.

Once Ever has the surgery, her life does improve, bringing new friends and potential romance into her life, but things may be more confused than before when she tries to figure out their motivations. She also has to decide who she is now if she isn't just the "fat girl." Not to mention gastric bypass surgery comes with a whole host of unintended complications and lifelong commitments.


What I found interesting was that Ever isn't particularly likable. She’s not always a supportive friend or very compassionate. It's easy to say that she's protecting herself from the people who make fun of her but she actually has quite a bit of support around her. She's so busy thinking about herself because of Skinny that she can't see it until it's almost too late. She is a good kid though and learns from her mistakes. You can’t help but root for her HEA ending.

I loved her step-sister Breilla, who is seemingly shallow, but has a lot more going on beneath the surface. In fact I liked her more than Ever and kind of hoped she stole Ever's love interest, Rat (dumb name - awesome guy) away. O_O It was also interesting to me that being beautiful, thin and popular doesn't mean that everything in life is easy for you. I liked how the author explored different issues that teenage girls encounter by using the sisters relationship.

I related to Ever even though obesity wasn't an issue for me. I lost my mother when I was a teenager and some of her feelings and experiences really cut close to home for me and I even teared up a few times.

Rating: 3 out of 4 This is an emotional story that addresses obesity, friendships and family, as well as an in depth, unflinching look at gastric bypass surgery. I do think the author's choice to not address other methods of weight loss was a problem but I think in this case she was trying to discuss this particular topic and choice so it will be up to the reader to see how they feel about that I guess.

Author: website | twitter
Source: Scholastic/Point at BEA
Buy the book! Skinny – Release date October 1, 2012

Mini Reviews: A different kind of “beach read”

I know summer is supposed to consist of “beach reads” Those books that are fun and sexy lighter reads but I’m going to recommend three books that dig a little deeper.

Easy by Tammara Webber, What A Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn & Spill Over by Jolene Perry touch on the topics of rape, abuse and loss that will have you on the edge of your seat but still have that heart melting romance we’re all looking for in our summer reads.



Easy by Tammara Webber

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email.

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations) ~ Goodreads | Amazon
Source: Copy provided by author for my honest review

My quick take: I think Tammara Webber is one of the best YA contemporary writers out there right now. Easy is not as light or fun as her Between the Lines series (which is excellent btw) but it still has that honest YA voice that I believe is her trademark. Here Webber takes on the issues of sexual assault, bone deep grief, self defense and empowerment.

I could relate to Jacqueline struggles as she heads off to college and strikes out on her own for the first time after a break up with her long time boyfriend. A traumatizing event puts her in the path of the enigmatic Lucas. I really loved the focus on female empowerment but it was Lucas’s story that had me gripped to the pages. I almost wish that this was his book. His story is so compelling and it ties in nicely with Jacqueline’s. At times you don’t know what to feel about his character or actions right along with Jacqueline but believe me he’s worth the effort.

Oh and if you think this may be too dark for a summer read – have no fear Tammara Webber can bring on the sexy:

"I pressed against him and he groaned into my mouth and wrenched his mouth from mine, breathing raggedly. "I have to go now, or I'm not going."

“He dropped the pad onto the floor and the pencil followed, his stare never unlocking from mine. As he leaned over me, I felt a heightened awareness of every part of my body that touched a part of his – the edge of his hip pressed to mine, his chest sliding against mine, his fingers tracing from wrists to forearms and then framing my face. He held me in place, lips near my ear. When he kissed the sensitive spot my breath shuddered. “You're so beautiful,” he whispered, moving his mouth to mine.”



What A Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn

A companion novel to WHAT A BOY WANTS.
Jaden Sinclair knows he'll never amount to anything...so why would he deserve a girl like Priscilla Mendoza?

Since last summer, things have been screwed up between Jaden and Pris. He knows it's his fault, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to go a few rounds with her new boyfriend. He also knows he’s the loser his dad calls him, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting her.

After getting a huge bomb dropped on him, Jaden lashes out and lands himself in jail. Everything in his chaotic life is turned upside down and to make it worse, his mom kicks him out in order to side with his dad. Yeah, he’s totally a prize for a girl like Pris.

Sebastian, Aspen, and Pris are all going places in their lives...and he knows he can't keep tagging along for the ride.

The group has one last chance for The Epic Adventure they've been looking for: a road trip to New York, where Jaden's friends will be going to college. Unfortunately, the more time Jaden hangs around Pris, the harder it is to keep the carefully constructed walls between them so she doesn't find out what a train wreck he really is.

When the trip ends, Jaden has to decide if he's ready to say goodbye to his friends, and the girl he loves. He knows what he needs, but will he be man enough to go for it?

Contains mature themes. Some sexual situations and language. ~ Goodreads | Amazon
Source: Copy provided by author for my honest review

My quick take: After meeting Jaden in What A Boy Wants, I wasn’t expecting to read just how broken and damaged this poor boy is. The thing I loved most is that Nyrae Dawn carried over the deep friendships from the first book but really let Jaden shine here. Believe me that’s difficult to do when your following Sebastian Hawkins but she succeeded. Honest, gut wrenching, romantic and funny all wrapped into one What A Boy Needs is the perfect summer read. (Make sure you read What A Boy Wants first – it’s excellent!)


Spill Over by Jolene Perry

"I'm not in New York.
I'm friends with a girl.
I'm living on a boat... with my dad...
At this point, I figure anything's possible."

When an assignment overseas gives Antony's Mom the opportunity of a lifetime, she sees it as a chance for Antony to get to know his dad - a guy strange enough to live on a boat. Near dreary Seattle. Antony’s sure that the next few months will feel like a lifetime. He and his dad can’t even fill up a five minute conversation on his birthday call.

Then he meets Amber, the girl from five boats down, and his prospects perk up. But when it becomes very clear, very fast, that all she’s after is friendship, Antony wonders if he’ll survive the next three months.

He is absolutely. Completely. Totally. Displaced.

And then tragedy hits.

Spill Over is a novel about love, loss, and figuring out what’s actually important. ~ Goodreads | Amazon
Source: Purchased

My quick take: I sat up until 1am finishing this book. There’s nothing better than reading about a bad boy struggling to turn good.

Antony comes off quite spoiled at first but his life takes so many unexpected turns so quickly that he’s forced to face the harsh realities of the life he has been living and deciding where he wants to go from this point on after a tragic loss.

What was nice about Spill Over is that he’s not trying to make the change just for the girl but also for himself. Antony struggles, he screws up & he gets called out by Amber. Good stuff.

(One minor nitpick with Spill Over - there were several typos in my Kindle version but it didn't ruin my reading experience)

I should re-title this post: Mini reviews “the broken boys of summer” because all of the above books have deeply damaged boys. Despite the heaviness of the topics all are super sexy summer, beach worthy and will leave you with a smile on your face.

Do you have a favorite summer read?

Review: Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer, #1) by Melanie Card

Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive… ~ Goodreads

Review:
I stumbled upon Ward Against Death after having Melanie Card on my blog as an AAD featured author. I'm so happy to have discovered this world of death, magic and assassins.

After reading the summary I expected something very different than what I ended up reading. I hadn't planned on being introduced to a very different type of hero than the typical brooding, confident YA boy.

Ward is a necromancer, and not a very good one at that. His dream is to be a physician and surgeon. Unfortunately he's been kicked out of school for digging up dead bodies to study. So now he works as a necromancer, hired by families to wake their loved ones for a few minutes so they can say their goodbyes.

His latest client is the wealthy and powerful Lord Carlyle who wants his daughter Celia raised. One problem. When Ward wakes Celia she doesn't act like a dead girl with only 15 minutes to make peace with her family and pass then on for good. She's convinced that she was murdered and wants Ward to help her escape and find her killer.

Ward Against Death brings of a bit of a change concerning gender roles. In this story, Ward is the damsel in distress and Celia is the white knight doing the rescuing. In the wrong writer’s hands Ward could end up quite unlikable & whiny but Card infuses Ward with warmth, kindness and intelligence. He's immediately smitten by Celia & his physician's oath won't let him turn his back on her after he promises to help. However, Ward is no pushover - he knows Celia is more than she appears. He adapts very quickly to life on the run and constant danger.

Celia is one bad ass chick!  And an assassin! Oh how I love cold hearted assassins, lol. She trusts no one and will do whatever it takes to find her killer. Including seducing and using Ward. She has mixed feelings having to drag him along. Celia needs him to keep her alive (well - awake anyway) until she can find her killer but she also senses a power within him that even Ward doesn't realize he has.

Over the course of the book the two need to decide if they can trust each other as they fight against a soul stealing seductress that has big plans for Celia. There are powerful organizations at work against them and time is of the essence.

The story is told in alternating POV's which is becoming a favorite writing style of mine. Especially in this novel where Ward and Celia have such different personalities and perspectives on the same situation. It really adds another layer to the story. I’m happy to report no insta-love here. Instead we see a slowly blossoming alliance turned to friendship with a wonderful romantic undercurrent. 

I'm not usually a fan of magic and I will admit to being confused by the different names of the secretive crime/magic/assasin societies. That's something I'm always horrible with until I'm really engrossed in the story. Until I can connect a character to something, it usually flies right over my head. I did get it all straight as the story progressed though. I loved how Card described necromancy and magic even though it’s not something I typically enjoy. Also, I would never thought it would be interesting, but when Ward talks about surgery and medicine I was completely riveted.

The pacing was a bit uneven at times. As I said I loved the dual narrative but then things seemed to slow down for me whenever Ward and Celia were apart. The witty banter and chemistry between these two is so good that I just kept waiting for them to be on the same page again.

A few characters were introduced that seemed very intriguing but then didn't play as big a role as I had hoped and the ending was very abrupt. No cliffhanger - but I would have liked a few more pages. Very minor complaints to an otherwise fantastic story.

Rating: 3.5 out 4 If you are looking for something outside the usual YA box definitely give this one a shot. Great world building and multi-layered characters make this series a stand out. I can’t wait to read more of Ward’s adventures.

Author: website | Twitter | Goodreads
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer, #1)
Challenge book for: Midnyte Reader's Authors After Dark Reading Challenge