Book: Little Joe by Michael E. Glasscock III

Published June 2013 by Greenleaf Book Group|Pages: 184

Series: None

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Goodreads|Michael E. Glasscock On Twitter

Little Joe is an e-ARC from netgalley.com which has not influenced my review in anyway

Goodreads Summary: When Little Joe Stout survives the car accident that took his parents’ lives, he is sent to live with his maternal grandparents in the small town of Round Rock, Tennessee. Orphaned and missing his Texas home, Little Joe is reluctant to adapt. But his grandparents, especially his grandmother, are up to the challenge of raising him despite their own struggles. Soon, childhood friendships are forged in the oddball duo of Sugar and Bobby, and—with the help of a new canine companion—Little Joe begins to see that his new home offers the comfort and love he thought was lost forever.

Set against the drama of World War II and the first sparks of the civil rights movement, Little Joe’s new home is a microcosm of America in the 1940s. A frightening incident with a Chinese motorist traveling on the wrong side of town, the migration of troops across the countryside, and a frank discussion of Jim Crow laws are just a few of the local events mirroring the radio broadcasts that bring the news of the day into his grandmother’s kitchen.

Little Joe begins a four-part series from Michael E. Glasscock III that explores the intricate social cloth of Round Rock, Tennessee.

I liked Little Joe.  I don’t normally read historical fiction set in World War 2, but I enjoyed it more than I expected.

I loved seeing Joe’s relationship with his grandparents, and if there’s something I love, it’s a book where there’s a grandparent-grandchild relationship.  They all had to adjust to their new life: Joe, who now has to live on a farm, in a world different than the one he’s known, and his grandparents, who lost their daughter and are now raising their grandson.

The book felt like it set during the 1940’s and all of the details felt right- but knowing very little about what life was like on a farm during World War II, I have no problem admitting that I don’t know enough to say for sure what’s accurate and what’s not.

I also liked how Joe found friends and slowly adjusted to life in Round Rock.  It seems like there’s an assortment of characters, and I really wish we saw more of them.  We certain got a good glimpse of Round Rock, and it wasn’t until the end that I realized I was reading the first book in a series.  Which explains why Little Joe is shorter than I was expecting and why it felt like there was more to the story.

I thought Glasscock did a great job with showing Joe’s perspective on things.  Even though he didn’t delve too deep into things like racism, I still thought Glasscock did a great job with showing what Joe and his friends thought of what was going on around them.  We got a good glimpse of what life was like for Joe in the context of everything going on in the 1940’s and how life can change while still realizing that there are people who care about us.  Glasscock did a good job at introducing us to this world and the people that live in it, but I also wish there was a little more to the book.  I’m not quite sure what, but it really was a bit too short.

Final Thoughts:

I liked Little Joe, especially the relationship he had with his grandparents.  It’s a sweet story, and I wish it were a little longer.  I’m looking forward to reading the other books to see how Joe’s story unfolds.  Little Joe gets 3 stars.

Book: Oppressed by Kira Saito

Self-Published by Kira Saito on December 26, 2012|Pages: 251

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Arelia LaRue #4

Genre: YA Paranormal

You Can Find Oppressed in the Kindle store, the Nook store, and at Smashwords

Goodreads Summary: Down in New Orleans, Arelia LaRue ventures further into the world of les mysteries and comes face to face with secrets that threaten to turn her entire world upside down.

A tragically painful past is revisited… Secrets are revealed… And enemies are exposed…

In the intoxicating world of New Orleans Voodoo/Hoodoo expect the unexpected.

Oppressed is definitely my least favorite book in the Arelia LaRue series.  While we see the curse that bound Louis/Ivan and Lucas to Darkwood, and go much deeper into the past than we have in the past 3 books, I didn’t find it as interesting as the other books.  I mean, Saito did a great job at showing what New Orleans was like in the 1850’s, and it was nice seeing how the past has an impact on the future and how history is repeating itself.

But I missed seeing Arelia figuring things out and dealing with everything in the present.  It really was a different book, and while it (sort of) fit with the rest of the series, it didn’t fit as well as I was expecting.  Interestingly enough, it’s the only book that felt the most complete, but I’m still feeling like I’m reading a story in installments as opposed to something with a beginning, middle and an end.

I had a harder time connecting to everything because I wasn’t expecting to get so much history.  I felt like I was getting to know Arelia and Lucas, and all of a sudden, they’re in a completely different form than what I was expecting.

Overall, I really like this series, so I’ll keep reading because I want to know what happens.  But Oppressed is the first book where I started to feel like the story was going on for a little too long.  Oppressed gets 2 stars.

Book: First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh

Published June 2009 by Random House|Pages: 290

Where I Got It: E-book|Library

Series: Huxtable Quintet #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Goodreads|Mary Balogh’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Against the scandal and seduction of Regency England, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces an extraordinary family—the fiery, sensual Huxtables. Vanessa is the second daughter, proud and daring, a young widow who has her own reason for pursuing the most eligible bachelor in London. One that has nothing to do with love. Or does it?

The arrival of Elliott Wallace, the irresistibly eligible Viscount Lyngate, has thrown the country village of Throckbridge into a tizzy. Desperate to rescue her eldest sister from a loveless union, Vanessa Huxtable Dew offers herself instead. In need of a wife, Elliott takes the audacious widow up on her unconventional proposal while he pursues an urgent mission of his own. But a strange thing happens on the way to the wedding night. Two strangers with absolutely nothing in common can’t keep their hands off each other. Now, as intrigue swirls around a past secret—one with a stunning connection to the Huxtables—Elliott and Vanessa are uncovering the glorious pleasures of the marriage bed…and discovering that when it comes to wedded bliss, love can’t be far behind.

I totally went into First Comes Marriage expecting to love it…but it actually turned out to be an okay read for me.  I mean, I liked it, but it’s an okay kind of good.

Vanessa and Elliot are an interesting pair.  It’s definitely one of convenience- for the both of them- but they find that they’ve fallen for each other by the end of the book.  I was surprised that it was Elliott and Vanessa, and not Elliott and Vanessa’s older sister.  I never completely warmed up to Vanessa and Elliott as a couple.  I think a big part of it is because it really was a marriage of convenience for both of them.  For some reason, it was believable, but I found myself not believing in them as a couple.  It’s weird because I liked them on their own, but I’m not too fond of them together.

I did like Vanessa getting married so her older sister won’t have to, and the relationships between Vanessa and her siblings.  And her relationship with her former in-laws.  And the relationship she had with her now-deceased husband, which we learn about throughout the novel in conversations and her thoughts.  There are a lot of interesting relationships, and I found the one she had with her older sister to be one of the things I really loved about the book.

Final Thoughts:

I liked First Comes Marriage, but Elliott and Vanessa didn’t work for me as a couple, even though I liked them on their own.  It isn’t my favorite romance novel, but I might possibly be interested enough to keep reading.  It’s an interesting story, and it was an enjoyable read.  First Comes Marriages gets 3 stars.

Book: The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Published February 2013 by Penguin Group|Pages: 304

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Shades Of London #2

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|Maureen Johnson On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Devereaux has been living in Bristol under the close watch of her parents. So when her therapist suddenly suggests she return to Wexford, Rory jumps at the chance to get back to her friends. But Rory’s brush with the Ripper touched her more than she thought possible: she’s become a human terminus, with the power to eliminate ghosts on contact. She soon finds out that the Shades—the city’s secret ghost-fighting police—are responsible for her return. The Ripper may be gone, but now there is a string of new inexplicable deaths threatening London. Rory has evidence that the deaths are no coincidence. Something much more sinister is going on, and now she must convince the squad to listen to her before it’s too late.

The Madness Underneath is a really good follow-up to The Name Of The Star.  I really liked seeing Rory deal with what happened in The Name Of The Star.  All of these things have happened to her, and she can’t talk about it, because what really went down needs to stay secret.  That would majorly suck, to have to lie about what really happened with the Jack The Ripper stuff.  And she’s in Bristol, away from her friends, until they pull some strings to have her return to Wexford because Rory is the only terminus the team has.

As much as I liked The Madness Underneath, which was a lot, it didn’t have the same appeal that The Name Of The Star had.  There are still creepy things going on, and ghosts and other people who have the same abilities that Rory does.  That mysterious group was totally creepy, and they’re definitely up to something.  It is nice to see that there are other people who can see ghosts, but…why are only a select few part of the Shades?  You’d think that there would be more than a handful but maybe there’s a process or something and only a few make it.

Rory leaving school in The Name Of The Star in a big way and then returning to Wexford just so she could heal…I guess it’s understandable but also sort of boring.  I think I was expecting more to happen and for me, not a lot did.  Actually, The Madness Underneath felt like set-up for the next one, and I’m not quite sure where things are going.  I’m not sure what I was expecting for The Madness Underneath, but I’m pretty sure that this wasn’t it.

I’m really curious as to where things are going.  Partly because Rory can get rid of ghosts just by TOUCHING THEM, and with this new group of people who can see ghosts and are probably up to no good.  And with certain developments where Stephen is concerned…I really want to know what happens next!

A lot of the other characters weren’t as interesting as they were before, and it’s because The Madness Underneath focuses on Rory and her recovery from almost getting killed by a ghost.  I’m not terribly surprised by her relationship with Stephen, which was actually something I was hoping for…and then the ending happened, and that’s going to put a damper on things.  It’s rather unfortunate for both Rory and Stephen, and I’m really wondering what the fall-out will be.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked The Madness Underneath, and found Rory being a human terminus really interesting.  I’m not sure where things are headed, and even though I was expecting something different, I find myself wanting to know what happens next.  The Madness Underneath gets 4 stars.

Book: Flowers From The Storm by Laura Kinsale

Published October 2009 by HarperCollins|Pages: 560

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: None

Genre: Adult Romance

Goodreads|Laura Kinsale’s Website

Summary: The Duke of Jervaulx was brilliant and dangerous. Considered dissolute, reckless, and extravagant, he was transparently referred to as the ′D of J′ in scandal sheets, where he and his various exploits featured with frequency. But sometimes the most womanising rake can be irresistible, and even his most casual attentions fascinated the sheltered Maddy Timms, quiet daughter of a simple mathematician.

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything truly romance-y, and I’ve been feeling inspired after listening to, like, every single episode of Dear Bitches, Smart Author.  Which is a great podcast if you’re into romance novels.

Anyway, I’ve felt inspired to read one of the many romance novels I actually own (but haven’t read), so I decided to start off with Flowers From The Storm.  I totally loved it!  I love Maddy and Jervaulx as a couple and they balance each other so well.

Maddy as a Quaker wasn’t expected, but she wanted to do the right thing and help Jervaulx even when her cousin thought he was too violent.  I liked that she was a Quaker and had a very different life than Jervaulx which made the tension between them fun but interesting.  I liked seeing what she thought of him before the duel, and seeing how her opinion of him changed throughout the book.  Also, how she was able to communicate with him after he got ill.  I’m not quite sure what happened to him but there was something very sweet and touching with the way they communicated with each other.

It’s definitely unique in comparison to every other romance novel I’ve read.  It’s not cliche and Maddy and Jervaulx have a happily-ever-after of sorts, but not the traditional happily-ever-after you see in a lot of other romance novels.

I’m definitely not sure what else to say about Flowers From The Storm.  It’s funny at times, but also sweet and heart-warming.  I absolutely loved it, and Flowers From The Storm gets 5 stars.

Book: Insomnia by J.R. Johansson

Insomnia’s expected publication is June 8, 2013 by Flux Books|Expected Number Of Pages: 361

Insomnia is an e-ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review

Series: The Night Walkers #1

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|J.R. Johansson’s Website

Summary: t’s been four years since I slept, and I suspect it is killing me.

Instead of sleeping, Parker Chipp enters the dream of the last person he’s had eye contact with. He spends his nights crushed by other people’s fear and pain, by their disturbing secrets—and Parker can never have dreams of his own. The severe exhaustion is crippling him. If nothing changes, Parker could soon be facing psychosis and even death.

Then he meets Mia. Her dreams, calm and beautifully uncomplicated, allow him blissful rest that is utterly addictive. Parker starts going to bizarre lengths to catch Mia’s eye every day. Everyone at school thinks he’s gone over the edge, even his best friend. And when Mia is threatened by a true stalker, everyone thinks it’s Parker.

Suffering blackouts, Parker begins to wonder if he is turning into someone dangerous. What if the monster stalking Mia is him after all?

Insomnia is really different, and in a good way.  The premise that Parker enters the dream of the last person he has eye contact with is a really interesting one, and I’m so glad I read Insomnia!

I’m not surprised that Parker is able to sleep when Mia is the last person he has eye contact with.  Or that he’s the one who is blamed when she gets threatening e-mails from everyone.  I don’t blame them, because it really seems like he’s completely lost it.  But I also understand Parker wanting to have a good night’s rest, even when he does everything possible to make sure he makes eye contact with Mia last.

Insomnia did start off slow for me, and it was hard to get into at first.  It was hard to connect with Parker, and there are so many questions that I have after reading Insomnia.  Like, how on earth is he able to function after 4 years of barely sleeping?  His ability is interesting, but at this point, how he is even alive?  Why does he have this ability and what does it all mean?  We get no details on this ability to enter the dreams of the person who you last made eye contact with.  I know Parker has no clue about why he has this ability or how it works, and that the reader is discovering this right along with him, but…not knowing things about this particular world makes you wonder how he manages to drive and not get into accidents or why his doctor assumes Parker is on drugs and doesn’t do anything except prescribe something or do further tests.

I have the feeling we’ll be learning more about it the next book, because we learn that Parker’s dad has the same ability- a father who left Parker and his mom when Parker was really little.  I can’t say I’m surprised by that connection, because it really wasn’t that big of a surprise.

I think his relationships with Addie and Mia are interesting.  I didn’t get a love triangle vibe, especially because he seems to have feelings for Addie but not for Mia.  His relationship with Mia is more for survival, especially in this book, so it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out in the rest of the series.  I actually wouldn’t mind a love triangle in this case (even though it seems unlikely for now) because it would be a nice change from a female having to choose between 2 guys.

Final Thoughts:

Insomnia is one of the most interesting books I’ve read.  I like that Parker enters the dreams of the last person he makes eye contact, and while I wanted to know how he managed to still be alive and functioning reasonably well after 4 years of not sleeping well, I can’t wait to find out what happens next!  Insomnia gets 3 stars.

Book: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Published April 2013 by HarperTeen|Pages: 384

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: The Sweet Trilogy #2

Genre: YA Paranormal- Angels/Demons

Goodreads|Wendy Higgins On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

I really liked Sweet Peril.  I totally love that this series focuses on demons and how they’re a bad influence!

I like that Anna is both, and that she acknowledges the good and the bad, even though she doesn’t like doing the work of the father.  I like that doing her father’s work is just a way of surviving, and that it’s balanced out by her wanting to make sure that the people she’s influencing get home okay and that she feels guilty about what she’s doing.

I think one of my favorite things about this book is how there’s such a balance between Anna’s good side and her bad side, and that she doesn’t necessarily have to choose one over the other.  I also liked the message from Ruth, the nun from the convent Anna was born at, and how Anna has to find allies for when Anna has to do what she needs to do.

I think Kaidan and Anna are oddly balanced.  I like that Anna still has a certain amount of innocence, even if it less so than in Sweet Evil.  But it also makes sense given that she’s the only one who can use the Sword Of Righteousness.  Part of me was hoping that something more would happen between her and Kai just to see how that would work out, but part of me is glad it hasn’t.  Then again, there’s still the last book, so it’s entirely possible it could happen.  But with things headed in the direction they’re in, and a prophecy that means the Dukes are out to kill Anna, there’s a good chance it won’t happen.  Either way, I’m interested to see how that turns out.

I’m so glad Sweet Evil avoided the dreaded middle book system.  It didn’t feel like filler at all, and it definitely made the series a lot more interesting.  Like, Kai and Anna.  They have a really complicated relationship, and while they get together in the end, they definitely have some obstacles.  Or there being no love triangle!  It seemed like Kope could have been the other guy for a while, but it’s just Anna and Kai and no other guy for her.  Which is good, because I like Kai and Anna together.

Final Thoughts:

I’m sure it’s obvious that I really liked Sweet Peril.  Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think I love it.  It really is an interesting take on the Nephilim trend, and I can’t wait to read the last book!  Sweet Peril gets 5 stars.

Book: Thin Air by Rachel Caine

Published August 2007 by Penguin Group|Pages: 336

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Weather Warden #6

Genre: Adult Paranormal

Goodreads|Rachel Caine’s Website

Summary: After preventing Mother Earth from destroying the planet, Joanne Baldwin lost her memories thanks to Ashan the djinn-and they will remain lost forever unless Joanne can recover her identity-and destroy the demon who is impersonating her, fabulous shoes and all…

I absolutely loved Thin Air.  This series…it’s really addicting.  Seeing Joanne have to deal with trying to get her memories back and working with Venna and Ashan because he’s the only one who can do it.  And Demon Joanne, who convinces everyone she’s Joanne, but she’s really not Joanne.  Being a demon and all.

We see a separation between the dijinn- there’s the Old Dijinn, led by Ashan, and the New Dijinn, led by David.  Ashan’s not the biggest fan of us pesky humans, while David is.  So it would make sense that the Dijinn would separate into 2 different factions.  I wondered when this would happen, and it turns out that it happens in Thin Air.

Joanne really intrigued me in this one.  A lot of it is because she’s lost all of her memories, and she’s trying to get her memory back.  Along the way, we learn Imara is the new Oracle in Sedona, which means she’s too new to help Joanne.  And…we learn that Joanne has the abilities of a Fire Warden, a Weather Warden and an Earth Warden, which isn’t too surprising.  There’s part of me that wishes Joanne didn’t hit the trifecta, just because it’s a little too obvious.  Had this been any other book, I’d be worried about Joanne coming across as really perfect with tons of super-powers.  But she’s not perfect, even though she has to make a decision between Lewis and David, and even though she has these new abilities that she has to figure out how to use while keeping Mother Nature happy.

It really will be interesting to see how everything plays out- except for the Lewis-Joanne-David thing, because I know she’ll end up with David.  That’s totally not a spoiler, because it’s in the summaries for at least one of the last three books.  I’m starting to get really intrigued with the new Dijinn and the old Dijinn.  Partly because of Outcast season, but also because the divide between the Dijinn was there, even though it wasn’t a huge thing for a lot of the series.

Thin Air is a really good addition to the series.  Every book builds on the last one, and I feel like we’re peeling away the different layers of this world Caine is building.

Final Thoughts:

Thin Air is pretty freaking awesome.  Joanne’s powers are definitely interesting, now that that’s she on the same level as Lewis.  And I really loved seeing how the Dijinn ended up splitting into 2 groups.  Thin Air gets 5 stars.

Book: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Published May 2010 by Disney Hyperion|Pages: 195

Where I Got It: E-book|From the library!

Series: Hex Hall #1

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|Rachel Hawkins On Twitter

Summary: Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It’s gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie’s estranged father–an elusive European warlock–only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it’s her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

I can’t believe it took me so long to read Hex Hall!  I’m totally wishing I picked this one up earlier.

I really like the idea of different schools for witches, faeries and shape-shifters, but I also like the idea of a boarding school that’s the last resort for all types of problem students.

We see Sophie arrive at Hex Hall, not knowing anything.  It wasn’t a surprise, but it worked in the sense that you got to learn more about this world as Sophie learned about it.  She’s just a really caring person, and while’s a bit gullible at times, she makes mistakes but seems to learn from them.

Bringing demons back from the dead, and light magic and dark magic and faeries and shape-shifters and all sorts of other magical creatures.  Like Lord Byron (yes, that Lord Byron!) as a vampire teacher.  It’s all pretty awesome.  And it seems like no paranormal book is complete without several groups out to get the Prodigium.  The Eye Of God seems to be the one we’ll see in the other books, and I’m curious about where that will go.

There’s quite the cast of characters, from the mean girls to the vampire who’s the school outcast to Sophie’s mysterious father to Sophie herself.  It’s unfortunate Sophie doesn’t know much about her father, and seeing her interact with people who know more about her family then she does was interesting.  And just being around people who know more about this very magical world was one of the more interesting parts of the book, because Sophie- in a lot of ways- is a clean slate.  She went in with no pre-conceived notions and is so willing to believe Jenna (who is a pretty awesome vampire, by the way) wasn’t behind some of the…accidents that happen at Hex Hall.

There’s a really good balance of funny and absurd and serious.  And the pop culture references!  I have mixed feelings about pop culture references, because I sometimes worry that it’ll make the book seem dated in a few years.  But in this case…it totally works, and I can’t see them making the book seem dated.

And the cover!  I’m assuming the girl on the cover is Sophie- because I have no clue who else it would be- but I really like how there’s a reflection of her in the lake.  And the colors are really pretty.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked Hex Hall.  There were a few things that were predictable, but I didn’t mind that at all.  It really was fun read and I can’t wait to see what happens next.  Hex Hall gets 4 stars!

Book: Possessed by Kira Saito

Self-Published by Kira Saito in July 2012|Pages: 491

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Arelia LaRue #3

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|Kira Saito’s Blog

Summary: Down in New Orleans, Arelia LaRue’s once ordinary life has been transformed into something truly odd.

As she ventures further into the world of Les Mysteries she realizes that nothing is ever as simple as it appears.

Faced with challenges that threaten her very sanity, Arelia must decide if fighting for what is right is truly worth the risk.

This series really is unique.  I can honestly say that I’ve never read anything like it.

I love Darkwood as a setting, and I love that it’s this plantation in New Orleans.  I love seeing Arelia work with Les Mysteries, even though she tends to call on Ezrulie, and doesn’t tend to call on anyone else.

What’s really interesting about Possessed is that Arelia is possessed by Ivan/Louis, and he promises to leave her alone if she just leaves the plantation.  She’s determined not to, and through her possession, we get more glimpses into what it was like to be a slave.  I really like the connection between past and present, and how connected everything is.  We definitely learn something new in every book, and in Possessed, we learn that Marie wasn’t the one behind the curse, and that Ivan and Lucas are brothers.  Different mothers, of course, but I liked learning more about her past.

There was one thing that didn’t make sense: Jacques, Lucas’ dad, couldn’t afford to free Marie, but he could afford to buy her diamonds?

I did like it better than Punished, and mostly because of the history we get to see.  It really made Possessed interesting.  It wasn’t enough to make me really like it or even love it, but it’s still a fun series to read.

I’m still not liking the ending.  They are cliffhanger-ish, but it also makes me feel like I’m reading installments of one story as opposed to reading a complete book.  It’s not enough to make me stop reading, because right now, everything else is outweighing the ending.

The characters are, well, them.  Considering the events of the 3 books have spanned the course of a month or so, it’s not terribly surprising that the characters aren’t changing as much as you’d expect, especially in the case of Ivan and Lucas, who have had decades and decades to hold grudges and feel bad for themselves and everything.  Change isn’t going to happen overnight with them, especially with Ivan, who (seemingly) doesn’t want to change.  Arelia is a different character than she was in Bound, and I have the feeling she’s going to be the one who goes through quite the transformation.

Final Thoughts:

I like Possessed, and seeing history really added an interesting element.  At this point, though, the endings and the feeling that I’m reading installments rather than a complete book is starting to get more irritating as I continue.  It’s not enough to stop reading, because overall, I did like Possessed.  In terms of history and the world that Saito’s created, it’s the one that’s most interesting- and why it’s my favorite in terms of history.  Possessed gets 3 stars.