After finishing this novel, I can truly say this a hidden gem! What a fantastic Sci novel hidden away beneath so many books!
Arra and Etaine are everything and I honestly can’t wait to read more about them and they’re evolving relationship. Throughout the course of the novel I felt that I really got to understand Arra’s inner self and I loved the character development! I’m very excited to learn more about Etaine in the future!
The setting was exquisite I really got an idea of every place we were in. The attention to detail was great and I found A. J.s world building to be really fantastic! I definitely felt I knew the Darkstar galaxy well by the end of the book and we got to see so.
The overall plot of the book was great, obviously I don’t want to spoil too much but discovering Arra’s powers and watching her relationship grow and change with Etaine and the past come to light! AJ has a great way of telling a story and I was seriously engaged the entire time!
In terms of Writing style I absolutely adored this authors! She had a great paced story with engaging writing and I would read all of her books!
In conclusion this is a fantastic start to a series, I cannot wait to continue. It’s engaging, interesting and well put! If you’re looking for a great Sci fi definitely check this one out.
When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.
Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…
Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.
Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.
Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.
All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.
Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables.
Well, this was a disappointment if I’m being honest. I slugged through this book and while I loved some parts it wasn’t enough to make me absolutely LOVE this one. In fact this book might end up going BACK to the store. I was hoping for something face paced given the near 600 pages and instead what I got was a slow book that lead to nothing. I felt disappointed with the ending, I wanted so much more. Let’s Dive in!
Characters:
Chatine: So Chatine is our “Eponine” character. Her parents are rotten thieves, she was raised without ever having a full tummy and she falls for the boy but never gets him because he’s in love with someone else. It’s a bit tragic really. Her character differed from Eponine in the sense that she was more about personal gain. She doesn’t really go through a huge change in the book, which is a disappointment because I would have loved to see her transform.
Marcellus: Marcellus is my LEAST favorite character…he was so freaking whiny. Alouette this, Alouette this. I can never live up to my grandfathers expectations. Like COME ON MAN! Get over yourself! He really needed to sort himself out and I didn’t get that feeling that he did on this one. By the end of the book I felt very unsatisfied.
Alouette: Alouette was probably my favorite character. She took risks that the other characters were scared too and she really felt fully developed. She learned things about herself and her surrounding and became a stronger character for it. I don’t have much to say about her because she was just a good character. She wasn’t a great one or a brilliant one, she was just good.
Setting:
Latterre was interesting to learn about. There was a LOT of world building in this book and I think that’s what slowed it down to such a deathly pace. While I understand this is the first book in it’s series and it had to form the mold of a retelling I really just want this to be more than it was. I loved learning about Latterre. The Frets were interesting to imagine as well as the 3 sols and I could clearly see the 3 different estates. Regardless the world was not as rich as it could have been.
Plot:
It’s a retelling we know the plot. While I read some reviews during my reading of this book that stated it stood on it’s own two feet I found this book to stick relatively well to the confines of Les Miserables. That’s what really let me down is I wanted Les Mis but more. In the end it definitely turned out to just be another one of those retelling that I was sadly disappointed in.
Author’s Writing Style:
While I LOVED some parts of the story that they wrote there was also a lot that I didn’t and I found myself dragging my feet through the book. The pacing wasn’t there and the storytelling was lacking. I still enjoyed a chunk of it, but I wish there was more.
Conclusion:
In conclusion this book would have been a good example of less is more. It was good but it wasn’t that good and the 600 pages had me drowning as I neared the end.
Good Morning Beautiful readers! Today I start a new type of post where I let you know my thoughts as I am reading. This way the thoughts are fresh in my mind and I can put them down immediately! Expect several updates throughout the day as well as the week!
April 10th 7:53 AM – Read up to page 44/579 and I am enjoying the book SO FAR. We’ve had 2 perspectives this far in Chatine and Marcellus. Chatine reminds me very strongly of Eponine from Les Miserables but the comparison is very sparse given that the characters are vastly different. On the other hand you have Marcellus who resembles Marius and while they both came from “rich” accomplished families that’s where the similarities end. This book is standing on it’s own two feet so far, lots of interesting new things to explore like technological advances and obviously space themed content. We get a decent amount of world building without overloading out brains and I quite enjoy that. Out of the 3 chapters I’ve read 2 of them were Chatine and the 3rd was Marcellus, I’m curious to see how the perspectives balance out throughout the book. I was shocked to learn that this was a series but I’m also curious to see how the book will end and what glimpse we will get into the second one which is titled: Between Burning Worlds with publication being sometime in Spring 2020.
April 11th 7:45 AM – Page 101/579 (Please note I’m only counting actual story pages in that page count not all the other pages). Marcellus and Chatine have now met for the first time, though it wasn’t the most likely of encounters, there was some trickery involved. Marcellus visited someone he lost and retrieved an important clue to his story. We finally got to the Ascension and saw some CRAZY things happen before we hit Part 2 of the story. We get introduced to Alouette (Really late I’d say considering she’s a main character). I’m still enjoying it so far there is a lot about this book that is intriguing me. I’m confused about some things that happened as they happened so quickly I didn’t really understand how and I read those parts several times. I don’t want to spoil anything in these posts so I won’t reveal too much however the book has held my attention so I look forward to reading more. It’s currently sitting at a 3.5/5 for me, I’m enjoying it but nothing is really that amazing or breathtaking. We shall see if that changes over the course of the book, I should have some more time to read today and hopefully get farther.
April 11th 1:15 PM – Page 125/579 Alouette and Marcellus have met and just like in Les Miserables there is an instant undeniable attraction between them both of them have trouble fighting off. Alouette being sheltered all her life ends up running away but not before revealing to Marcellus that she can read and her name. Chatine shows up and thinks Marcellus is talking to her, seeing that he is injured she thinks about stealing from him, but instead decides to help him. Alouette discovers something about her father she has a difficult time swallowing. I’m getting more into this book the more I read it. I’m definitely seeing some similarities now and I’m very intrigued to see where those similarities lead but so far once again this book is doing a fantastic job separating itself from just being a retelling. I’m getting excited to see what else will come from this!
April 11th 7:43 PM – page 165/579 I’m nowhere near finished reading tonight, but I was too excited NOT to write about this! If you’ve seen or read Les Miserables in theaters you know that Jean Val Jean’s prisoner number is 24601…and oh my dear lord they’ve made it his number in this book and I’m freaking out because my inner fan girl is SO Happy! So after the last update Chatine was captured by the General, Marcellus discovered the person whom was in the note form his father truly escaped and Alouette is trying to find out more about her Father. I’m now INTO this book so hard! Just including that fact has bumped this to a 4.5/5 for me. Holy crap! I’m so excited to read more… Will update soon.
April 11th 9:45 PM – Page 252/579 Wow am I ever into this now! It’s getting super intense and exciting that I really WANT to keep reading until I’m finished. Alouette discovers a truth she didn’t know existed, Chatine is conning Marcellus for her own gain and Marcellus is meeting a mysterious figure from his past in order to potentially advance his future. The action is here the emotions are here, I’m concerned though very much, most of the people die in Les Miserables and I hope that’s not the case here… Guess will see. It’s nice to see the connections really being drawn as I read while the book still stands as it’s own retelling I love seeing the little details! Can’t wait to read more in the morning! Good night my Little Larks!
April 12th 7:33 AM – Page 302/579 Whew! Were over halfway, this is a good sign because if I didn’t like this book I would not have gotten past his point. So Marcellus and Chatine went on a little adventure to Monfert. Chatine got caught by her father’s gang and threatened with her life. Alouette is attempting to escape the refuge a second time and finally gets her biggest wish. I will admit the book has not been super fast paced, but I’m still enjoying it. I usually like a little bit more action however I think both Authors have a certain writing style that has kept me going. We only have less than half the book left, lets see how we fair when it comes to the last half!
April 15th 8:46 AM – Page 339/579 I totally fell asleep this morning so I did not get as much reading done! I think were getting to a point in this book where things are about to explode! I’m super excited to see this all come to a head! I didn’t get as much time during the weekend to read either because there was just so much to do and every time I was ready to I was falling asleep! Ah Well! The plan is to HOPEFULLY…finish reading this TONIGHT and wrap up this story once and for all.
April 16th 8:23 AM – Page 519/579 I didn’t finish last night as you could tell. BUT I’m almost done. I anticipate finishing either at Lunch today or right after I get home. This book has been super slow up until this point, while I’ve been enjoying it there is no denying that the action and fast paced story telling I know and love just wasn’t around. The end of the book has definitely picked up. I’m hoping now that the story, characters and setting are all setup that book 2 will be more action! I understand why this book was slow, but still nearly 600 pages of slow is enough to knock this rating down to 3.5/5…we shall see what the ending holds! There’s a lot that has happened since the last time. We got introduced to Roche who represents Gavroche from the original story of Les Miserables. Everyone is having revelations about who everyone else is. Javert and Jean Val Jean’s characters have their epic meetup as per usual. There’s a lot packed into this book and It’s really all about setting up the story, but I really do hope that book 2 brings us a whole TON of new and exciting.
Here is the novel that started it all- the first book in J.D. Robb’s number-one New York Times-bestselling In Death series, featuring New York homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke.
It is the year 2058, and technology now completely rules the world. But New York City Detective Eve Dallas knows that the irresistible impulses of the human heart are still ruled by just one thing: passion.
When a senator’s daughter is killed, the secret life of prostitution she’d been leading is revealed. The high-profile case takes Lieutenant Eve Dallas into the rarefied circles of Washington politics and society. Further complicating matters is Eve’s growing attraction to Roarke, who is one of the wealthiest and most influential men on the planet, devilishly handsome… and the leading suspect in the investigation.
I am well and truly BLOWN away by this book. It’s been a while since I’ve picked something up and had troubles leaving it down. All I was thinking about all day at work was when am I going to get a chance to read again! I even considered hiding in a dark back corner and reading to my hearts content. After I finished this one I only had the explicit urge to pickup the second one and start it right away! TOO bad I don’t own it because I would binge this entire SERIES…even though they are on book #48.
Characters:
Eve Dallas: How to describe this woman? Fierce, Strong and Focused! Eve is an amazingly written main character. She has raw emotions and feelings but focuses solely on her work life almost leaving no time for a personal life. I really enjoyed her development over the book, seeing how she handled the different challenges that presented themselves to her in both her work life and her personal life. I also found her to be quite relatable in terms of emotions and feelings, it was super easy to connect with her and I believe this is why I loved this book so much.
Roarke: WHOO!!! What a sexy authoritative man! I loved every minute of reading him! I just can’t wait to read more about him because this was utterly fantastic! He really knows how to take control and it was so damn sexy! Despite some thinking he was a bit too forceful it works for the relationship that him and Eve have. He is smart, rich and interested in this busy copy woman to a point he doesn’t know why. Even though it was kind of an instant love situation I totally ship it 100%.
Setting:
This was set some point in the not so distant future of the year 2058. There is all sorts of interesting technologies and automated things. The world building was simply STUNNING! I really felt involved in this world and I enjoyed the descriptions of the setting! At no point during this novel did I feel where am I? I knew where I was and what I was looking at! This is one of the reasons this became an instant favorite!
Plot:
The plot was really really fast paced. I feel like this book flew by way too quickly and I still want to get lost in the plot of the next one! It’s a standard murder mystery here. Someone gets murdered and Eve being the lead has to solve the crime. The thing about these murders is that from the beginning we are told there will be 6 total. It’s interesting to see all the events play out throughout the book. I NEVER would have guessed the ending! I was blown away by who the culprit was I kept trying to guess who it was and simply couldn’t figure it out. It was a well written plot that will keep you hooked until the end.
Author’s Writing Style:
J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) knows how to write a damn good book that captures your heart and leaves you wanting MORE! She hooked me from the beginning and is still holding onto me! Her writing is easy to understand and comprehend and her storytelling skills are easily unmatched when is comes to this Genre.
Conclusion:
I don’t know if I can state it any clearer. I LOVED this book with all my heart and I simply cannot wait to dive into the next one. While my review is one of thousands out there, I hope that if you are reading this you give this book a serious chance because every page and every minute spent reading this was ABSOLUTELY worth it!
“In this sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Camille, her sister Edel, and her guard and new love Remy must race against time to find Princess Charlotte. Sophia’s Imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep the rebels from returning Charlotte to the castle and her rightful place as queen. With the help of an underground resistance movement called The Iron Ladies-a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely-and the backing of alternative newspaper The Spider’s Web, Camille uses her powers, her connections and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and restore peace to Orleans. “
Let me start by saying I’m sorry I’ve been away for a month! I have been incredibly busy with moving and haven’t gotten much reading done at all. This was my first Library read and I’m glad I borrowed it from the library because I didn’t enjoy this one at all. This shocked me because I loved the first novel.
Characters:
I don’t want to go too deeply into the characters especially since this is a sequel and I would hate to spoil anything to someone who has not read the first novel. Camille is ever the same, I didn’t see her having any drastic changes from book one. The book seemed to focus mostly on her, Remy and her one sister who’s name I am completely blanking on… that’s how badly I disliked this book I’ve already forgotten facts. The characters felt utterly bland in this second novel and not worthy of a story. It really felt like some of them were there just to fill empty spaces. I just didn’t feel connected to them and didn’t feel like I wanted to know them.
Setting:
Now we get to go a few places in this lush world however I felt again that they were quite bland compared to what we got in the first novel which was terribly disappointing. I really wanted to hold onto this one and ride it out until the end but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Plot:
The plot of the second novel…WARNING SPOILERS picked up immediately where the first book left off, however compared to the first book it really lost it’s magic for me. There was so much going on I felt lost and like they really weren’t connected. We had these new Iron Ladies who came out of no where, we had Sophia suddenly enraged and building prisons for Belles, we had the current generation of belles spread out across the land. I just felt like I really wasn’t getting anything out of this one so I had to put it down. You can tell by how sparse this review is with how little I actually have to say about.
Author’s Writing Style:
I loved Dhonielle’s writing in the first book now I’m unsure. I honestly can’t say I felt like it was the same author writing both books.
Conclusion:
While I loved the orignal book, this one did not strike it out of the park for me. It felt super flat and undeveloped. I didn’t like most of the new chracters or issues that were introduced. The story felt bland and boring. In the end I’m glad I borrowed this from the library and did not purchase it like I had originally planned.
As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.
Warrior of the Wild is an exciting battle from beginning to end, it takes inspiration from the Vikings and does an exquisite job telling a meaningful story.
Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead!
Characters:
Rasmira – When will we have enough of badass female characters? NEVER! Add Rasmira to my list of awesome warrior females! First off I really like the way Rasmira thinks. She wants to be a warrior but she also wants to be okay with being cared for as a woman and honestly why is this not okay? I’m also very happy that Tricia doesn’t focus on Rasmira’s looks as a character but more on her personality. I felt she was a well fleshed out character and should this have been a series I would have gladly read it for her alone! Rasmira faces many challenges but she overcomes them by using her quick wit and warrior instincts.
Soren – Soren might be my least favorite character. While I liked him with Rasmira I really did not enjoy his personality. I found Soren to be cocky and a little too sure of himself. Their romance also felt too rushed. It felt like your the only girl so we should be together. Soren was still a good character overall there were some small things that irritated me to no end.
Iric – Iric has his head on much straighter than Soren and has a boy waiting for him back in his village. I loved that Iric did not take instantly to Rasmira and it took some much needed effort on her part to quell the distance between them. Iric is a smithy and that was fun to read about because we got some interesting things out of it.
Setting:
We actually have no idea what world we are in so I can’t say much for that. What we do know is that there are many different villages and each specializes in different things. We mostly got to explore the wilds and the many strange and dangerous creatures that live there. I feel the setting was solid for the length of the book we got enough information that I wasn’t craving more. The world building and mythology of the world was well explained and I could definitely visualize the wild and the horrific creatures in the book. I read the creature descriptions to my husband and he even shivered. The GUNDA is the stuff of nightmares!
Plot:
So we already know from the synopsis kind of what’s happening in the story. Rasmira is the daughter of the village leader, she is 1 of 6 daughters and the youngest. When she is old enough to chose her skill she decides to be come a warrior instead of a Jeweler like her sisters. Her father pays more attention to her now and swears to make her his heir. When it comes time for her trial she is tricked by a bunch of bullies and for that reason gets banished to the wild. Rasmira’s task to become worthy to once again return to the village is to kill a God who torments the villages named Peruxolo. The plot was evenly paced and I never felt like it was slow, there was always action and then a nice plot developing dialogue in between. I still cant believe how fast this one flew by!
Author’s Writing Style:
Tricia already stole me with Daughter of the Pirate King, and now she has yet again stolen me. Her writing is so easy to get lost in and understand. She doesn’t complicate things like some authors have and she keeps you interested by keep a nice healthy pace. I can see myself reading all of Tricia’s books simply because her writing style is STUNNING!
Conclusion:
While this review is not crazy detailed I really don’t think it needs to be the conclusion is simple. While this book has some minor flaws it is ABSOLUTELY worth the read! It’s a fun wild ride filled with action, mythical creatures that have never been seen before and a kick ass female lead! Why wouldn’t you read it? 4.5/5 Stars
If you do decide to read this book or you’ve already read it let me know your thoughts down below! Have any recommendations for books with Kick ass female leads? Comment down below!
It’s Afternoon and the day is going by quite quickly. I wanted to take this Tag and have some fun! The creator of this book tag is Jamie @ALittleSliceofJamie
This Tag is supposed to give a little insight into my blog and me! So I hope you enjoy! I was tagged by A Book.A Thought.
Where do you typically write your blog posts?
I usually write them on my husband’s laptop at home or if Work is EXCRUCIATINGLY slow I will head to my blog and write away! (I’m at work right now writing this!)
How long does it generally take you to write a book review?
Maybe an hour? The thoughts are usually fresh in my mind so it’s easy to get everything out. However I am refining that process with every review so I can have more through and comprehensive reviews. I really want to dive into the books and help people understand why they should or shouldn’t read it based on their preferences.
When did you start your book blog?
January 29th 2019. So not too long ago. I really wanted to start getting my thoughts out in a more detailed way where everyone could understand what was going on. I also wanted something I could easily format instead of the headache I have with Goodreads formatting.
What is the worst thing about having a book blog in your opinion?
I don’t think I have a worst thing…at least not yet.
What is the best thing about having a book blog in your opinion?
The best thing for me is having people interact with the blog, so I suppose that means you guys! I love when I get comments and likes it really validates what I’m doing and urges me to keep pursuing this dream.
What blog post have you had the most fun writing so far?
The Priory of the Orange Tree review hands down. I loved that book so much and writing the review for it just got me excited ALL over again!
What is your favourite type of blog post to write?
For the time being Reviews, I haven’t really written much else however this month I plan to start some new posts like TBR’s and Wrapup’s
When do you typically write?
I write whenever I feel like It. I never really have a set time.
Do you review every book you read?
I try to, If I feel the book doesn’t deserve the review then I don’t even bother. But I want to review everything I read that’s in book format
How do you write your book reviews? With a cup of coffee or tea? With Netflix? Cuddled with your fur baby?
Usually with a cup of tea to keep my mind stimulated and some music, sometimes my cat will sit on my lap but more often than not I’m wrapped ina blanket writing.
When do you write your book reviews? Right after finishing the book? Two weeks after finishing the book?
I have to write the review ASAP while the information is fresh in my mind or I will lose my thoughts!
How often do you post?
As much as possible, I always have ideas for posts and things so I want to post as often as possible!
When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over.
But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.
Opposite of Always is a funny, witty and wild time traveling ride that will leave you with a valuable life lesson and a warm glow in your heart.
Characters:
Jack – Our main character undergoes some pretty heavy development but then again who wouldn’t when your in a time travel loop. Jack is a pretty loyal friend, but he goes through some fairly difficult situations where he’s forced to make tough decisions. When Jack first meets Kate there is an instant connection. The love takes time to grow, but he feels something is really different about her. Jack is very unsure of himself in the beginning of this book thinking of himself as “almost” getting things. However throughout his time travel loops he learns about himself and becomes a better person in the end. I loved that we got to watch him really evolve over the course of the time loops and eventually be able to understand his choices and actions.
Kate – Our amazing female protagonist described as utterly beautiful. Kate has a sickness, I’m not going to tell you what because that would spoil parts of the story, just know that is something serious. Kate is strong and sassy but she also goes through some drastic changes. Although she isn’t aware of the time travel loops the different actions taken throughout the story really change how things are for her and ever her own character because Jack also brings out the best in her.
Franny – Franny bothered me a little bit. While I understand his situation and the tough things he was going through as Jack’s long time best friend I often found myself wondering how he could so easily give up on his friend after making some mistakes. While he came around on some things I think there was definitely some over reactions on his part. Franny seems like a good guy though and he definitely has a happy tune in the 5th time loop when everything is coming together.
Jillian – The “Almost” Jack’s girlfriend and now best friend girl who’s dating his other best friend. Yeah…that cliche. Okay but really it works for this book like 110 %. It makes the story that much more interesting and without Jillian, Jack would not have meet Kate. Jillian is the mediator and the glue. She’s what keeps the three friends together even when they want to fall apart. She’s sweet and kind and the all around good girl.
Contemporary With a Twist:
Okay this was a really fun contemporary due to the twist in the story! What I was really drawn to in the first place was the Time Travelling element. I like the way it was played out in this story. Jack goes back the first time, confused but willing to try again and though he messes up a ton of times he eventually gets the magical formula that solves all his problems and makes his life and those around him better. I don’t understand why or how the Time travel happened but that’s the point I think in this book. It adds a sense of something magical and makes the story that much better.
Plot:
I’m not gonna lie. The plot isn’t anything revolutionary when it comes to time travelling love stories but that doesn’t make the magic of this book any less. I wanted to keep reading and discovering what was going to happen next. The book was fairly even paced, a little rushed at the end but understandably so since you wouldn’t want to keep reading the same events over and over again. I have to say the beginning blurb kind of lost the element of surprise towards the end of the novel but the over all plot was still fantastic. I think the characters really made this book as the plot wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before in media.
Author’s Writing Style:
Justin A. Reynolds is HILARIOUS. No really…He’s actually hilarious. The way he wrote this book makes it so relatable! I found myself more often than not thinking “That’s so true!”, ” No way! How did he know!”, “Haha that reference is priceless.” Overall I can see myself diving into more of his books in the future, he tells a story well and for his debut novel he gave a FANTASTIC piece of literature.
Conclusion:
If you like a little mystery with your real life stories then this is the one for you! This book had some great moments and some sad ones. Overall it was a roller coaster of emotion that left me with a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart. If you love contemporaries your going to LOVE this one! Be sure to check it out!
Arriving on the Fort Worth train, Miss Amelia Carson, mail-order bride, had never met Dallas Leigh, the Texan she promised to marry. The tall cowboy at the station wasn’t Dallas. He was Houston, Dallas’s brother, sent to escort her on the rugged three-week trek to the ranch where Dallas waited. Brought up in war-ravaged Georgia, Amelia thought Dallas’s letters made Texas sound like heaven, a place for her dreams to grow with the right man beside her.
And his only love…
By all appearances, Houston Leigh would hardly be considered the “right man.” The war he survived had scarred him inside and out, and he was little competition for his handsome brother. But from the moment Houston met Amelia, he knew she possessed the courage this wild land needed. She had eyes that could see past his wounded face to his soul. And he would fight any man—except his brother—for her heart. Now he and Amelia were riding down dangerous trails, sleeping under the stars, and God help them, they were falling in love.
Let’s start off by saying this is my first foray into the Romance Genre and I am officially hooked! This book managed to snag me so easily with it’s sickly sweet romance! I am now a fan and cannot wait to read all the new romance books I have coming to me!
Characters:
The thing I really enjoyed about this book as a Romance was that there wasn’t a TON of characters to get attached to and try to analyze and understand. Only 4 Characters really stood out to me in this book 2 of them being our protagonist couple.
Amelia Carson: She may seem all sweet and innocent but she has a fierce strength within her heart. Amelia was a really great character to learn about, while she was a proper lady she had her quirks that we quickly learned to love. She looks beneath Houston’s skin to see the kind and honorable man beneath and she brings out the best of him. I really enjoyed her little spurts of anger it made me giggle to think of this classy lady getting frustrated over the smallest things.
Houston Leigh: First off I can’t with their names…I think that’s one of the things that really bothered me was that the names weren’t anything crazy creative so I didn’t feel SUPER attached to them. Houston is scarred from the war leaving his face scarred and he fears that no woman will ever love him. However after travelling with Amelia he quickly falls for her and she for him. When Houston finally realizes he has to fight for the woman he wants it’s almost too late but luckily they get their happily ever after. I loved his inner dialogue and the struggles he went through to evolve into someone Amelia could love.
Dallas Leigh: Dallas, Amelia’s original betrothed is described as very handsome and someone who can make dreams come true. However upon meeting him I felt his character was more stand offish than most! We got very little glimpses of Dallas in this book but his goals were mainly just wanting a Son. I’m curious to see how this changes him in the next book of this series.
Austin Leigh: The youngest of the 3 Leigh brothers is a little sweetheart. He plays the violin, is kind to ladies, can’t tell which words to use and which ones not to and is an all around good kid. Austin was probably my favorite brother in this book with his heartfelt Violin music. He also tried so hard to please his brothers and always had the constant feeling of failing them!
Romance:
Because World-Building isn’t really was Romance is all about we are going to use this category to review the romance and what I thought about it from a stand point of being realistic. The romance in this novel was VERY realistic it started off rocky but slowly grew to be something so much more. Houston and Amelia didn’t get along very well at first in fact more than once they had disagreements that left Amelia upset. It all built up to this one tension point where it broke and emotions started to flow out. Houston still didn’t feel he was good enough though, he would never be able to give her everything she wanted – but he didn’t really know what SHE wanted. Amelia definitely influences Houston to show off the best of himself and that’s was true love is, two people wanting to become better because of the one they love. True love is hard work and boy did they ever plow through the fields of love to make it work.
Plot:
The overall plot of this Romance was interesting for my first read. The story line was very clean cut and typical I would think for a Romance. The Guy likes the girl but she belongs to someone else, the girl likes the guy but she feels conflicted because she originally is committed to another man. In they end they are together and happy despite their differences and hardships. I mean romance novels can only have so many different plots, the way and variations the story is told is what draws in the reader. I enjoyed this plot quite a bit because I have never read a Romance like this Yet!
Author’s Writing Style:
I found Lorraine’s writing to easily be attached tom the words flew by I just found myself lost in the pages of this wild west romance. Her words were not too complicated and I found that refreshing to be able to understand what was going on. She was very clear and to the point! I also loved how she wrote her romance scenes it made me all warm and fuzzy. This book definitely drew some emotions from me.
Conclusion:
Overall my first Foray into the Romance genre was a success while this book didn’t hit it completely out of the park for me it gets a glowing 4/5 stars for hooking me from page 1. The characters and writing were engaging and the romance was fairly realistic. I would enjoy more novels by this author and I can’t wait to read more romances!
Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers
When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…
*Special Thank you to Netgalley & Harlequin Teen for an E-ARC copy in exchange for a fair and honest review*
I LOVE Jennifer L Armentrout! I can’t get over how much I love her writing, her characters and her worlds. As I stated in my Darkest Star review I’ve never read her original series for this book as well but I was still hooked and I still loved it! Can’t wait for more and I can’t wait for a physical copy! Let’s dive into this review!
Characters:
Trinity: I think it will now be hard for me to find a character I like more than Trinity. While I was slightly annoyed with her constant need to escape and get into trouble it proved to me she was strong minded. While Trinity also had Retinitis Pigmentosa it only made her stronger as a character! It proved that while she might have complications she wouldn’t stand in the way of living her life. Trinity is confident in herself and makes a lot of difficult decisions in the story! I don’t want to spoil too much but she is an amazing character to read about!
Zayne: I can only imagine how gorgeous Zayne actually is in real life. The way he’s described just makes me quiver a little bit. What do I love about him? Way to much. First I LOVE the wardens and the fact that they are gargoyles who can shift into human form! I love that he has a rocky past that makes his character wary of rushing into things, but also has the ability to not hesitate when it comes to decisions affecting life or death. I love how him and Trinity interact and while it’s a rocky start and a slow build it quickly turns into something I’d read about forever.
Setting:
While the setting was real world we still got some excellent world building. Without reading the previous series I still grasped the lifestyle of the Wardens and the dangers the Demon’s posed. I felt wrapped in a well developed world where I wasn’t questioning what was going on or why it was happening. While half of the book took place in Trinity’s own community where she grew up we also got a glance into the DC community and how they lived and some of Zayne’s apartment! I loved the background on the wardens and was easily able to grasp their past. What I really love about Jennifer’s books is that while I have never read her older series I can still be this involved in the story and setting and enjoy it!
Plot:
This book was EXPLOSIVE and I mean EXPLOSIVE! It started off with a great beginning, had a nice and even paced middle that built up to the exciting and surprising ending. I never saw the twist in this book coming! My jaw dropped near the end when I found out the true antagonist of this book. I also never suspected who Trinity’s father would really be and I was a little bit shaken to find out how important he was. The book is really nicely paced and I never found myself bored. There was just enough action as story building. The overall plot was fantastic and an excellent lead into the next book! I can’t wait to pick that one up!
Author’s Writing Style:
Jennifer has a way of captivating me COMPLETELY. This book consumed me, the minutes I spent lost in the pages were ones I don’t ever want back. she has an excellent way of explaining her characters and giving you a glimpse into their pasts if you haven’t read previous novels. Those facts alone make me WANT to go back and read her original series. Her writing is engaging and enjoyable. Thank you for writing amazing things JLA!
Conclusion:
If you loved Jennifer’s books before you will ABSOLUTELY enjoy this one. However if your new to her books this is still worth reading because it’s great start to a new series, while you do not need to read the original story to understand this one it would help to give some valuable background information on certain characters. This book was even paced, captivating and exciting. If your looking for a read that will hook you from beginning to end this is your book! 5/5 ROCK HARD STARS! Make sure to grab this when it comes out on June 11th 2019!
Booklectic Girl Reviews 