Dark Citadel

Darik is a young slave boy who happens to find himself in with a pair of spies while the city is attacked by the dark wizard.  Out west lies an army of wizards, griffin riders and a band of knights all of whom the companions work to encourage to come to aid of the falling city.  They need their help in order to defeat the dark wizard.  The dark wizard is not only interested in the city, he has his sights set on the beautiful queen, Kallia.  She struggles to keep her distance from the wizards embrace.

This was one of those books that came in my email as a daily free book, and it seemed interesting enough, and I did enjoy it, but it wasn't as satisfying as some of the other novels I have read in this genre.  Although any young adult, young reader would find the story engaging and interesting.  There are references to a past history that readers don't get an insight to, so there is a feeling of missing out on something important to the story. 

One thing that made it difficult to read and makes me lean on the fence about reading the next book in the series is that each chapter jumps time periods as well as perspectives.  While some readers may be able to follow the jumping around like that, other readers will find it difficult and be completely turned off by it. Most of the characters are develop except for the antagonist.  We know nothing about this dark wizard other than the fact that he wants to take over the world.  How can readers begin to hate a character they know nothing about?  There almost seems to be too much happening within the story and details that some of the character development suffers for it.  I hope this changes in the other books in the series.

With any genre there are books that excel and some books that seem to fall short, for me this was one of those books that fell short.  Not to say that it wasn't a good book to read which it was.  It just felt like it was trying to be more than it should be at this point.  Being the first novel, it felt like too much was pushed into the story to make room for what's to happen in the next novels at the expense of some background and character development.  As a rating...I give this a 2.5 out of 5 and as I stated before, I am not sure if I will read the other books in the series.

Where The Lost Girls Go

Laura is a rookie cop trying to show she is capable of doing her job despite her small stature and meek manner.  She obtains her first investigation when a car crashes into a tree and goes up in flames.  Clues point to a homicide, possibly involving the daughter of a famous local author.  As Laura digs for clues and interviews the family she is convinced she knows who the killer is.  But then the identity of the Jane Doe is revealed to be a missing girl, the investigation takes a different path.  How did the missing girl find her way into the Jameson estate and eventually one of their cars?  How did she meet her end and why?  Admist this investigation is another bigger one into the corruption of the police force and how deep does it go.  Why are some officers given special duty, while others are hung out to dry?  Get ready for an action packed novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.


I had the honor of receiving this book from the publisher/author via NetGallery.  I could not have been more excited for the opportunity to read this book.


It starts out with excitement with the fiery car accident and the mysterious driver, but as the story goes on it deeper into a homicide and keeps you guessing at what will happen next.  There seemed to be a lot of premature theories and jumping to conclusions, but I guess that would come from the main character being new to the force, just off her training.  There was another sub-plot about corruption in the force that I think was unnecessary, the story stood well on its own without that added tidbit.  It almost feels a little too overdone - corruption in the force, but the main character and a few secondary ones are working to expose it as they are the only good ones.  I hope there is a bigger story that come from that, but at this point it is still a mystery why that was included. 




There are still a few questions within this story as I got to the end that leaves the book feeling almost unfinished. The moments of Laura expressing feelings for her neighbor felt more like fluff than anything else especially after he "sort of is seeing someone,"  that left me with a let down as there was a build up of possibly them getting together or a huge surprise twist him being the mastermind behind it all, but no.  Again something else that could have been left completely out of the story and it would not have made much of a difference.  I highly enjoyed the story and liked the added touch of "squatters" in the woods that was something different added to the story. 


It was a mixture of predictable and unpredictable, if that makes any sense.  There were parts I was able to figure out while others were a complete surprise.  It held my attention throughout the story, I couldn't wait to find out who was the mastermind behind the murders.  There were a few things that I was surprised wasn't revealed earlier such as the gravesite, I think having someone find it earlier and finding the girls already in it would have added to the story and suspense of who was killing these girls.  I could almost see this plot reflected in a crime drama or movie.


I would highly recommend this book to mystery lovers of all sorts, as well as general fiction, suspense fans.  I think there is a little of something everyone can enjoy in this book.  I give this a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Woman In Cabin 10

Lo is a travel journalist scheduled to go on a luxury cruise for an assignment.  A few days before the cruise is to set sail, he apartment is broken into shaking her up and causing her to be more on edge and frightened than normal.  It disrupts her sleep, eating and emotions.  But she decides to go on the trip anyway and try to get ahead in her field.  While there she meets people perfect for networking during a dinner.  Afterwards she tries to find some sleep only to woken by a sound in the cabin next door, and the sound of the sliding door opening and a something being thrown overboard.  Her heightened nerves already on edge she notified security and he informs her that no one was in Cabin 10.  She goes on a wild goose chase to find this woman she knew was there and figure out what really happened and who on the ship could be a murderer. 


Woman in Cabin 10 is Ruth Ware's second novel, and is taking the literary world by storm.  She has the strong ability to create a suspenseful, edge of your seat thrill of a tale.  She develops a story that takes the reader on a wild goose chase of a who done it, heightened with the unknown identity of the woman in cabin 10 as well as Lo's own anxiety and fears after being burgled a few nights before the cruise.  Ware, draws on the readers emotion to create the suspense and thrilling atmosphere of this novel and keeps the reader guessing.  There are a lot of twists and turns in this novel, although there were plot ideas that arose but were never expanded on, such as the internet/phone service being an issue.  She does a great job at building the suspense and making the reader want to know what will happen next.




The characters were a little hard to get attached to, maybe because there were so many to keep track of, I'm not sure.  Your heart goes out to Lo in the beginning, but she self medicates with alcohol a little too much in the novel, but again that plays into the storyline.  I downright despised Ben and couldn't believe Lo continued to trust him after his actions after dinner the first night.  I wanted more of Cole and some of the other characters, especially Anne and Richard.  The pacing starts out slow, but then picks up after the possible murder happens, but even then it still feels just a little bit slow as readers and assaulted with numerous possibilities and theories, though none of them are really followed up on.  Regardless of a few faults this book is a real attention getter from the beginning and keeps you interested/entertained until the very end.


I enjoyed it and finished within an evening.  I would recommend this highly to other mystery, and fiction lovers.  I give it a happy 4 star rating and look forward to what Ruth has in store for us next.


** If you haven't yet, check out the review for Ruth's debut novel In A Dark Dark Wood.

Heritage: S.M Boyce

Heritage is the third book in Boyce's Grimoire Saga.  It picks up with Kara in turning to learn how to control her Isen power enough to lead the other vagabonds.  Braeden is working to learn the inner workings of his kingdom to help the other Bloods plan an attack and finally defeat his father. Braeden has to learn how to gain the trust of the other bloods.  Kara has to learn how she can learn the vagabonds and how to sway the other bloods to her mission.  As part of her training, Kara visits the home of her grandfather, a notorious Isen who killed millions of people.  She had thought she'd known all about him until she took a trip through his memories and discovered the truth about him and herself.  This helps her accept her powers and learn to control them.  Now she sends her vagabonds back to their kingdoms and campaigns for the assistance of the other bloods to join her cause for peace.  Will Kara be successful?

After reading the previous two novels in the saga and loving them, I found this one to be lacking a certain..opf.  I love the idea of Kara being an Isen, it adds a deeper quality to her character and a twist in the story.  I have a feeling there is more to this surprise in the next novels.  There was a lot of re-cap from the other novels, and while having a recap can help remind readers of what happened previously, it started to take away from the story.  It started to feel like the momentum of the series started to slow down in the beginning of the novel, but once Kara revealed her powers the story picked back up. I was sucked back into the story, eager to know what will happen next. 

It almost felt like that story didn't progress much until about the last 75% of the novel.  There was a lot of build up to what will happen towards the end.  A lot was predictable, but then again Boyce tells the reader things will happen.  It does push the story along a little bit, but I think this book is intended to focus more on Kara learning her identity, who she truly is and her place within the world.    Throughout the other two books, Kara didn't feel connected to the people she was fighting to save, and now she does as well as change the viewpoint of Isens.  It is something that was needed to give Kara that connection to everyone and everything to really fight for unity.

I did enjoy this story, it was different from the previous ones in that it had a different air to it.  While it was slower and had a different feel to the story, it was one that is needed for the series.  It does deviate a little bit, but it is a necessary deviation.  I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading the next one.  I do suggest not only thing book but also the series.  I give this novel a 3 out 5 rating.  S.M Boyce is doing a great job at developing a story and world.

Saint by Ted Dekker

Saint is the second book in Ted Dekker's "Paradise Series."  I have already talked about Showdown a few months back, and this book is a continuation of that story.  In Showdown, a strange man comes into town and people begin acting weird, evil almost.  Children in a monastery find books where what they write in the book, it comes true.  The children are a part of an experiment to see if they will remain innocent if they are secluded from the influences of the outside world.  Carl has been recruited for Black Ops and given his life to the most brutal kind of training any man or woman could endure. He was here because he belonged here. To the X Group, an assassin. The most effective killer in the world. And yet . . . Carl Strople struggles to retain fleeting memories that betray an even more ominous reality. He's been told part of the truth, but what's the rest. Invasive techniques have stripped him of his identity and made him someone new for this he is grateful. But there are some things they can't take from him. The love of a woman, unbroken loyalties to his past, the need for survival.




This second book in the Paradise series is just as amazing as the first.  The story is a little different and stems away from the kids in Paradise, and the kids in the monastery, but the reader gets the feeling that this story is equally important for the final showdown. This novel has a strong start and middle, but sadly the end starts to unravel and fall very short of expectations and the quality we tend to expect from Dekker.  It is a Christian novel, so there is a lot of emphasis on love and grace.  Some may think this takes away from the novel, but I think it adds a different quality to the thriller.




This is the second book of Ted Dekker's that I have ever read, and I read it a few years ago and still absolutely love Ted Dekker as a writer.  That being said, this is probably one of the novels I like the least.  As mentioned it is a part of series, but doesn't follow the story of the first book which threw me off a little but still helped cement my love for this author.  He has a way of writing that draws the reader into the story.  You will almost feel as if you are standing beside Carl as everything happens and that you are experiencing the same things that he is.  Dekker has the ability to implement the Christian elements without making it feel like the reader is being preached to, or overdone.  It is the right amount, at the right times.  While it feels like this is one of the less enjoyable books to read of his it still shows his mastery of the written word.




I don't think there has been a book of Dekker's that I have not recommended and this is no different.  You don't have to read the books in order to understand what is happen you could read this one first and then Showdown then Saint or Saint then Showdown.  But you do want to leave Sinner for last because it does tie the other two stories together.  I highly recommend this for those who haven't read Dekker yet as well as those who have.  I give this book a 3.5 out 5 because it does fall short at the end and becomes disappointing when knowing the skills of this author.

The Awakening By Andi O'Connor

Awakening by Andi O'Connor is the second novel in the Dragonath series.  It picks up where the previous novel leaves off as the fellowship enter into war with their enemies, and possibly themselves.

Darrak and his companions face more challenges in their fight against those who wish use Halla magic to destroy not only Dragonath, but also Earth.  An ancient enemy from the past has been resurrected from the death without a passing thought to the consequences.  Mionee faces a consequences of her decision to join forces with Niemel as well as the things she has set in motion.  The companions are joined with new allies in the wolf who helped them in the past as well as a dragon who could help turn the tide of the war.  The fellowship faces challenges they never imagined facing such as betrayal, and treason.  Darrak slowly learns what it means to accept his destiny as the heir to the throne, but can he handle the responsibility that comes a long with it?  Will the kingdom be able to fight of the enemy advances with little resources they have?  Will dragons come to the aid of the heir or will the remain hidden?

Andi has done it again!  In her second novel, she continues with the action, suspense and twists she creates in the first novel.  The themes of betrayal, trust and relationship continue to be important in Awakening as they were in The Lost Heir.  In this novel the betrayl seemed to hit harder than in the previous novel, probably because as the characters didn't expect the betrayal, neither does the reader.  It was something that takes readers completely off guard.  I gasped when I read certain parts of the book, and may have audibly uttered "NO."  Andi O'Connor has the talent to bring her characters to life and create a world that feels beyond realistic.

I was happy to see the characters continue to grow stronger, but also continue to recognize their faults and short-comings.  It is refreshing to see characters display faults and learning how to turn those faults into strengths within a group such as this.  Darrak is one of the characters I think who grew the most in this novel.  He comes to accept his role and the heir, but struggles with the responsibility.  At this point we see him learning to lean on someone other than himself for strength and guidance.  While relationships with one another whether romantic or not are an important part of the story, it was nice to see the story did not rely soley on that aspect of the plot.  It was simply a supporting element to develop the characters in a different way.

Something I would have liked to seen more use out of though was the dragon as well as the wolf.  I expected more from Wistera.  The aid of dragons appear to be a important element to the story, but we didn't have too much of a background for them other than the short history lesson Andrillian gives us in the beginning, maybe we will see more dragon action in another installment.  While the story is largely about Darrak and him taking his rightful place, this installment was also largely about Mionee.  We see the torment and horrors she endures from her husband and soon Niemel.  We see her become even more remorseful and regretful of her previous greed.  There is still the question of what caused her desire for power?

As with Lost Heir it was difficult to put this novel down in order to sleep or actual be productive.  The world Andi creates in Dragonath is so easy to get lost in.  I don't say this often about books...but I would love to see this made into a movie, I would love to see her characters come to life.  She has the talent to contend with some of the fantasy "best-sellers."   Without a doubt I give this novel a 5 out of 5.  Andi has swiftly become one of my favorite authors, and believe me that is not an easy task!  If you haven't read my review of Lost Heir, do so and then read both novels.

Darkest Craving

Title: Darkest Craving by Gena Showalter  (book 10 in the Lord of the Underworld Series)
Media Source: Paperback
Rating 3.5 out of 5

Darkest Craving the 10th book in the Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter.  It is a paranormal romance novel that follows the story of Kane: Keeper of disaster.  Wherever he goes disaster strikes, either to himself or those around him.

Kane is the keeper of Disaster, and he wants nothing more than to rid of the demon.  He longs for love, but anytime he gets close to a woman his demon acts up.  Whenever Disaster is "hungry" or upset he causes disaster to happen all around Kane.  Josephina is a member of the royal Fae family, well partly a member.  She desperately wants to be rid of her family and the life she lives in the Fae Kingdom.  She rescues Kane from the depths of Hell in hopes of convincing him to kill her.  Little did she expect to fall for the handsome Lord.  Kane struggles to avoid the Fate's prediction that he would cause the apocalypse, as well as marrying the keeper of Irresponsibility as he wants Josephina (aka Tinker Bell).  A whirlwind tale of romance and adventure erupts from the very beginning and continues until the end.

Gena Showalter is a compelling storyteller, but this novel does not display her talent as well as the others.  She takes the mythology of Pandora's box and weaves it into her own tales with the Lords of the Underworld.  She continues that with Kane's story.  We had glimpses of Kane throughout the previous novels, glimpses that made readers want his story and to see how his demon effects him as we've seen the other demons reacting in other books.  I was surprised Disaster reacted significantly different than some of the other demons in the previous books.  In the past the demons in the books acted out towards the Keeper, such as Reyes needed to harm himself rather than the people around him harming others, but with Disaster (and also Disease: Torin) the demon not only acts out towards him but others around him.  Which makes sense that he could possibly be the bringer of the apocalypse.

In this book we are introduced to some more mythical creatures such as the phoenix as well as Fae.  As with the legend of Pandora's Box, Gena Showalter makes the creatures her own.  I especially enjoyed the idea of each Fae having a different power rather than everyone having the same one.  In Jospehina's case she had two, one she could project herself to a different place while remaining in another, two with a touch she could take on the powers of the person she touches.  My inner geek immediately thought of Rogue from X-Men, so that is the image I now have of Josephina.  I thought this power would have been used in a different way throughout the story, but what Showalter does with it and how it is used was unexpected. 

Throughout the book, the story diverges to discuss some of the other Lords, briefly introducing us to their stories such as Torin and Cameo.  It is almost like a little teaser, giving readers a taste of what's to come in their books.  Smart movie Showalter!  We also get a small glimpse of another Sent One towards the end. A Sent One is kind of like an angel, but not entirely.  Something else Showalter makes her own.  After seeing a Sent One or two in previous, I want more from them.  I want to read their stories; could that possibly be her plans for the future?  One can only hope. These side characters are what helped bring the rating up slightly.  The character development of Kane and Josephina were highly lacking, if anything they backtracked.  The Fae started out a this kick ass woman who stole the powers of a phoenix, but then regressed into the victim mentality unwilling to fight for herself because she was afraid of the consequences.  Didn't seem like the Tinker Bell we met in the beginning.  And Kane, he seems to be the weakest of the Lords.  While the others find ways to control their demons, Kane allows his demon to control him even to the point of changing his eyes as the demon comes to the surface.  Is there a reason for this?

While there were points during the novel where the story seemed to slow down in pace and just drag on, or moments which seemed a little too cliché, this was a phenomenal book.  I enjoy everything I have read from this author and Darkest Craving was no different.  While I look forward to her next book I am a little weary about how well written it would be.  Hopefully I won't be too disappointed.

Recommendation: Darkest Craving is a paranormal romance novel.  It satisfies the craving for more from the Lords, as well as slight romance and adventure.

Suicide Forest

Title: Suicide Forest by Jeremy Bates
Media Source: Ebook - Kindle
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Recommendation:  Such a creepy story, don't read it at night.  I highly suggest this novel to anyone who enjoys a great folklore and creepy story.

 Aokigahara forest lies just outside of Tokyo.  Several travels expecting to hike Mt. Fuji get stranded by the rain and decide to camp out in  Aokigahara instead.  They learn the legend of  Aokigahara forest being a popular site for people to commit suicide.  Many in the group decide they do not want to spend the night, while others don't believe the legends and convince everyone to spend one night in the forest.  They walk off the trail deep into the forest to find a good spot, and notice there is no sign of life, not even birds chirping.  The next morning one of their group members is found hanging in a tree.  The try to find their way out only to get lost deeper into the forest.  While they try to work together, personal feelings and emotions begin to get in the way.  Will they be able to find their way out, will they survive the legend of Suicide Forest?

Jeremy Bates does a phenomenal job at writing a spell binding story.  I honestly could not put this book down.  The story unfolds through Ethan's eyes, an American living in Japan teaching English.  His backstory is slowly unraveled throughout his interactions with other members of the group, as well as their stories.  The story is told at a steady pace, with the group responding to their situations according to their personalities.  Bates takes the time to use things at add a cultural sense to the story with his descriptions of music, food even reading material as well as Tomo's (a psychology major) language and attempts with American slang.  While the group come from various different backgrounds, they all share thoughts about suicide or even death, which is revealed throughout the novel.  Not that they think about committing it per say but rather their individual thoughts on the subject.  Suicide Forest holds intrigue for each person, and as the story unfolds it holds intrigue for the reader as well.  One which may cause the reader to contemplate their thoughts on the subject as well (again not thoughts on performing the act, but general thoughts).

There are several twists and turns leading up the to climax of the story which will take readers off guard.  This is definitely a book that is NOT predictable.  The shocking end to this story will leave readers not only satisfied with the story, but also pondering who the real monsters are.  There is always some sense of truth to every legend.  Jeremy Bates takes folk lore and makes it his own.  He adds his own touch to the truth behind Suicide Forest.  The story really drags you in and holds you captive until the very end.  Then it leaves readers craving more from this exceptional author, I know I want more. 

Water for Elephants

Title: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Media Source: Paperback
Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Recommendation:  I highly recommend reading the novel rather than watching the movie.  This novel is captivating and full of action.

Jacob Jankowski is a 93 (or 90 he can't remember which) old man content with his life in the nursing home in which he lives.  Memories of his past have been shoved back into the recesses of his mind.  That is until one day a circus begins setting up in the lot across the road.  He begins to remember the events that led up to him climbing aboard a passing train only to realize the train housed the Benzini Brother's Most Spectacular Show on Earth.  He finds himself the veterinarian for the show as well as learning what it truly means to work in the world of circus performers.  A world that is both salvation on hell on earth.    The show takes on a elephant who cannot perform and steals lemonade.  Marlena (the star of the equestrian act), Augustus (director of the animals) and Jacob must come up with an act for Rosie to perform with Marlena. 

I devoured this book in one day, that is how spectacular it is.  I could not put it down.  The is so well crafted that the reader can picture everything happening before their eyes.  I particularly enjoyed having the story flawlessly going back and forth between present day and his memories.  It added a certain quality to the book and  kept as a reminder that he tried so hard to forget everything that happened.  Gruen weaves a tale of intrigue, love, humor and distress.  She creates characters that remain with the readers long after they finish reading the novel.  Jacob is the most loveable character as well as Rosie.  One couldn't help but laugh when readers find out that Rosie stole lemonade.  When Walter looses his dog Queenie, your heart breaks for him and rejoices when she is returned to him.

The story depicts the bond and love between animal and human as well as hatred that can form when the animal is not treated properly.   The novel also depicts the social hierarchy of circus performers and circus workers.  This is one of those novels that can be read time and time again and still be entertaining.  There was a movie made based off the novel, and honestly the novel is far better than the movie.