Review Sunday: Defy (#1) by Sara B. Larson

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Defy #1 (trilogy)

Blurb:
"Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?"

Review Sunday: Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza (#1)

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Empress of a Thousand Skies #1

Duology to date

Blurb:

"Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta'an wants vengeance.

The only surviving heir to an ancient Kalusian dynasty, Rhee has spent her life training to destroy the people who killed her family. Now, on the eve of her coronation, the time has finally come for Rhee to claim her throne - and her revenge.

Alyosha is a Wraetan who has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. Despite his popularity, Aly struggles with anti-Wraetan prejudices and the pressure of being perfect in the public eye.

Their paths collide with one brutal act of violence: Rhee is attacked, barely escaping with her life. Aly is blamed for her presumed murder.

The princess and her accused killer are forced to go into hiding - even as a war between planets is waged in Rhee's name. But soon, Rhee and Aly discover that the assassination attempt is just one part of a sinister plot. Bound together by an evil that only they can stop, the two fugitives must join forces to save the galaxy."

Review Sunday: The Masterminds by Olivia Wildenstein (Masterful #2)

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Masterful #2 (trilogy - 3rd installment set for release in 2019)

Review of #1

Released: 2016

334 pages

Blurb:
"When the perfect plan goes perfectly wrong.

The only downside to Joshua Cooper’s investigation of a mob runner is not being able to discuss it with the two people closest to him, 19-year-old twins, Aster and Ivy Redd.

That is...until Aster is accused of killing the mob runner. Then discussing it becomes the least of his worries.

Desperate to exonerate the girl he loves, Joshua dives into Indianapolis's dark underbelly, and uncovers a string of crimes and lies that leads him straight to the Masterpiecers's art show.

Straight to Ivy..."

Agatha Christie Review Round Up: Part Five

For my birthday last year, my parents gifted me around 35 Agatha Christie books (mostly from the Hercule Poirot series) and I've made it my mission of January and February to read them all!  There are four previous parts to this series that I've linked below.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Agatha Christie Review Round Up: Part Four

I've been reading more Agatha Christie!  For my last birthday, my parents gifted me a whole box full of Agatha Christie paperbacks (about 35, mostly Hercule Poirot) and I've been making my way through them.  Parts 1-3 are linked below.  Here are my thoughts on the last three that I've read!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

English Course Review Round Up: Part 4

This is part 4 of 4 of this series!  One of my programs in university is English Critical Studies so we end up reading a lot of books.  In one of my courses this semester, we read a total of 8 novels and I've been writing mini reviews for each of them!  To see the previous three parts, click HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Review Sunday: Treasure, Darkly by Jordan Mierek

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Treasure Chronicles #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe… until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead.

A great invention for creating perfect soldiers, yes, but Clark wants to live as a miner, not a slave to the army—or the deceased. On the run, Clark turns to his estranged, mining tycoon father for help. The Treasures welcome Clark with open arms, so he jumps at the chance to help them protect their ranch against Senator Horan, a man who hates anyone more powerful than he.

Sixteen-year-old Amethyst Treasure loathes the idea of spending the summer away from her bustling city life to rot on her father’s ranch, but when a handsome young man shows up claiming to be her secret half-brother, her curiosity is piqued. He’s clever, street smart, and has no qualms jumping into the brawl between the Treasures and Horans. Caught in the middle, Horan kidnaps Amethyst, and all she gets is this lousy bullet through her heart.

When Clark brings her back to life, however, the real action starts, and Amethyst joins him in his fight against the Horan clan—whatever the cost. Defeating the Horans may seem easy at first, but going up against men with the same fighting vengeance as Clark, and a Senator with power he’s obtained by brainwashing the masses?

Well, Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark."

Agatha Christie Review Round Up: Part Three

I've been reading more Agatha Christie!  If you don't follow me on Instagram, I posted a picture a while ago of my new Agatha Christie shelf.  As a birthday present, my parents gave me something like 35 Agatha Christie books; most from the Hercule Poirot series (which is my favorite).  Suffice to say there will be a lot more Agatha Christie around for the rest of the year!  I'll be posting round ups of my reviews (since I don't have too much to say about each one so far) with 3 books in each.

Review Sunday: Post-High School Reality Quest by Meg Eden

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Standalone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"Buffy is playing a game. However, the game is her life, and there are no instructions or cheat codes on how to win.

After graduating high school, a voice called “the text parser” emerges in Buffy’s head, narrating her life as a classic text adventure game. Buffy figures this is just a manifestation of her shy, awkward, nerdy nature—until the voice doesn’t go away, and instead begins to dominate her thoughts, telling her how to life her life. Though Buffy tries to beat the game, crash it, and even restart it, it becomes clear that this game is not something she can simply “shut off” or beat without the text parser’s help.

While the text parser tries to give Buffy advice on how “to win the game,” Buffy decides to pursue her own game-plan: start over, make new friends, and win her long-time crush Tristan’s heart. But even when Buffy gets the guy of her dreams, the game doesn’t stop. In fact, it gets worse than she could’ve ever imagined: her crumbling group of friends fall apart, her roommate turns against her, and Buffy finds herself trying to survive in a game built off her greatest nightmares."

Review Wednesday: Come Home by Lisa Scottoline

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Standalone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"Jill Farrow is a typical suburban mom who has finally gotten her and her daughter's lives back on track after a divorce. She is about to remarry, her job as a pediatrician fulfills her---though it is stressful---and her daughter, Megan, is a happily over-scheduled thirteen-year-old juggling homework and the swim team.

But Jill’s life is turned upside down when her ex-stepdaughter, Abby, shows up on her doorstep late one night and delivers shocking news: Jill’s ex-husband is dead. Abby insists that he was murdered and pleads with Jill to help find his killer. Jill reluctantly agrees to make a few inquiries and discovers that things don’t add up. As she digs deeper, her actions threaten to rip apart her new family, destroy their hard-earned happiness, and even endanger her own life. Yet Jill can’t turn her back on a child she loves and once called her own."

R&R Review Sunday: Taken by Witches by Nick Iuppa

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Stand alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"When he was a child, Niko Madonie was terrified of his over-protective grandmother. Somehow he know she was a witch possessed of overwhelming supernatural powers and determined to save him from the real and imagined dangers of the modern world. Now a successful writer in Hollywood, Niko is helping create and animated version of Hansel and Gretel while he struggles to protect his beautiful young wife from sexy, New Age witches who hope to sacrifice her to please the ancient crone.
This is an epic horror romance set against a background of legends, with complex villains, a magical young couple, and a storyline straight from the darkest pages of the Brothers Grimm."

R&R Review and Interview Friday: Romance Is For Other People by Lee Wolf

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Stand-alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"Lydia: “You must be sure you have a shot. But you don’t. Romance is for other people.”
Jeremy: “Do you actually think I believe that?”


Chris Howard is content with being “Best Friends Forever” with Lydia Jamison, but Lydia secretly wants to go out with him. Meanwhile, Chris’ older cousin Jeremy and Amanda have a tumultuous love-hate relationship. After a recent fight with Amanda, Jeremy starts pursuing Lydia and refuses to leave her alone.


Lydia is at first disgusted, because Jeremy has been a pest to both her and Chris in the past. Chris doesn't believe that Jeremy has a chance with Lydia, and does nothing about it. But as Jeremy refuses to give up his pursuit….


Romance is for Other People is a unique novel told from first person from the point of view of two main characters: Chris and Lydia and their experiences with first love and first heartbreak."

Mini Review Round-Up

I've collected several reviews of books that I've read recently that I just don't have enough to say about to write a full review.  This is a collection of those reviews!

Review Sunday: Alicia Bewitched by Nick Iuppa and John P. Mendoza

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Carlos Mann Trilogy #3

Goodreads Blurb:

"Logic Professor Carlos Mann sets out to murder Tiger Joy in her prison cell. Unfortunately, the gorgeous queen of human traffickers captures him and ships him off to the Yucatan, where the evil witch, La Bruja, uses all her powers to try to weaken and destroy him. Meanwhile, Alicia calls on friends both living and dead to help save her husband, and in the process she learns many terrible secrets that were born in the days of the great Mayan Empire … secrets that could save or even destroy Carlos and Alicia."

R&R Review Wednesday: Through the Riptide by Bert Murray

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Colin Preston #2

Goodreads Blurb:

""transcends its romance narrative that tracks a woman's tremulous anxieties, beset by cosmopolitan desires, New York big city dangers and Southampton big money corruption...with a lyrical voice" - Shirley Geok-lin Lim, American Books Award winner

An attractive thirty year old professional woman leaves NYC after being attacked there and finds a new job by the seashore. She has to decide whether she will date her ex-boyfriend or a mysterious new man she meets on a bus ride. Filled with passion, emotion, romance and the excitement of a summer by the sea..."

Review Tuesday: Dark Fae by Lillian Cartier

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Stand-alone novella/short story

Goodreads Blurb:

"Tessa James has never been able to figure out the puzzle that is her life, until a mysterious key and a hidden closet lead the way to a realm beyond her imagination. The Fae are real. Magic exists. And Tess’s world has just drastically changed. 

Nyx Steele, the leader of the Fae, is ruthless as he is beautiful, especially when it comes to keeping the humans out of his realm. Their role in slaying his people will never be forgotten, even if they stumble on him in the form of an alluring being like Tessa. No matter how strongly he's drawn to her, Nyx must never forget what Tessa's ancestors did to his. 

Lost in a land filled with wonder and dangers, Tessa cannot resist her attraction to the enigmatic Nyx. The most breathtaking love she's ever found may also bring her ultimate ruin and death."

Summer Review Train: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

To celebrate the start of summer, I'm participating in a review train!  I'm super excited because this is the first review train I've ever been in and it's such a cool idea :)  I love the graphic that our host, Brittany from Space Between the Spines, made!  There are plenty of people after me (the fun is just beginning!) and you can check out the whole schedule HERE.  I'll also put a link at the bottom of this post to the next person in the train to make it super easy for you guys to follow along!  I'm the third stop on the train so if you haven't seen the first two that Genni at Read, Set, Read! (The Unexpected Everything)  and Lauren at Always Me (Future Shock)  posted, hop on over to their blogs!  Let's get started!

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Goodreads Blurb:

"Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along."

R&R Review Tuesday: Kragan by Dennis K. Hausker

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Stand-alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"Prince Damon competed with his younger brother Prince Tabor to be crown prince, but Tabor bested him in the final contest. Thereafter, Damon feels his life has no meaning until stunning Beth rides into his life fleeing the great trauma of her life. Fate is not done with Damon who is forced to overcome self-pity to become the person he was meant to be. Their world is threatened with destruction as the vast barbarian horde, the Argore, suddenly invade the lowlands from their mountain realm. Damon, shackled with doubts, strives to become that better man, trying to win the love of Beth, but her disdain and personal focus on revenge thwart him time after time. Is it him she rejects? Does her heart belong to another?"

R&R Review Sunday: The Book of Prophecy by Stephen J. Guscott

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Stand-alone to date (although sequel possible)

Goodreads Blurb:

"No one in this quiet world knows what ignited the change; no one suspects that it all began with a secret book... Living among the innocent, in a society that has blossomed under seven centuries of tranquility, Dragatu expects to live out his days following the same path as his father before him, without even the smallest challenge to lift the monotony. But when he and his brothers are granted incredible mythical powers, every skill they possess is put to the test. Their actions will determine the fate of their people. What has been passed on in trust threatens to tear the brothers apart. Honour, love, power; all are at stake, and with them the only hope for a return to peace."

Movie Review Monday: Jurassic World

IMDB

IMDB Blurb:

"A new theme park is built on the original site of Jurassic Park. Everything is going well until the park's newest attraction--a genetically modified giant stealth killing machine--escapes containment and goes on a killing spree."