Tag Archives: Adult Fiction

ARC Book Review: Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana

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The Basics:

The Book: Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana

How long is it? 464 Pages

Will Be Published: July 8,2025 wherever you buy books (bookshop.org is a great place for books- clicking on the link will take you to my affiliate link)

The Genre: Adult Romance/Fantasy (Book 2 in a duology)

I got an advanced reader copy from netgalley!

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.

Lore Alemeyu wakes up to discover she’s on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Held prisoner and with no way to escape, she’s faced with a dire set of circumstances…

A crew that’s distrustful of Lore’s magic capabilities…

Her betrayal by a Fae she thought she could trust…

A dangerous quest for the sun book, which, if placed in the wrong hands, will make the Alytherian Fae even more powerful.

Lore must navigate threats on the ship and beyond, into the ocean’s magical and mysterious depths, in order to find the sun book herself and help free the humans. All the while, Lore can’t help but feel the intense pull of one Fae male who has been helping her all along. But is she willing to risk her human heart for creatures that have burned her in the past, and jeopardize her people’s future?

What I Thought:

I wanted to start off my review with the fact I had an advanced reader copy.  I loved this book so much, and it’s such a great ending to this story!  I really wanted more of Lore’s world, and I’m glad we got to see more of it in this book.  I would read another book set in this world in a heartbeat!  We meet so many new but cool characters, and this adventure is new and exciting, but one that Lore really needed to go on.  She is so amazing, and I loved seeing her explore a new world and navigate changing relationships.

I was curious to see Lore’s relationship with Asher (AKA Syrelle) with how Lore Of The Wilds ended.  I wasn’t the biggest fan of Syrelle, but I did love Lore and Finn together.  I also thought that all of the characters grew a lot in the this book, but I especially loved seeing Lore grow and tap into her inner strength.  I also loved seeing her make a lot of different decisions and seeing her try to balance what she wants for herself, for her friends and for the people of Duskmere.

This book has a very different feel to it, and it’s not one we see in the first book.  I think it’s a combination of Lore being more aware of what’s going on and the difference in setting.  I love the forest we saw in the first book, but I also love the underwater world we see, as well as the time spent sailing across the ocean.  I really felt like I was in Lore’s world, and it was so vivid and full of detail.  Her world really came to life, and it was the little things that made her world feel so real.

One moment that really stood out was when Finn offered to braid Lore’s hair, which I absolutely loved reading.  My hair is nothing like Lore’s, but no matter what’s going on, her hair still needed to be taken of care, and I was glad that Finn was able to care for her in that way.  It’s not something I would stop to think about, but it is something that others have to think about, and I’m glad we got to see that.

My Rating:

This is a 5 star book in my opinion!  I love the world and the characters and I can’t to have this book sitting on my bookshelf.  I haven’t talked about the cover, but it is absolutely beautiful, and I would 100% buy a print of it to hang up on my wall.  I don’t reread books often, but I know this is one I’ll be revisiting again!

January 2025 Book Roundup

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Hello there!  It’s been ages since I’ve posted, and by ages, I mean it’s been almost four years. What I thought was going to be a short break turned out to be much, much longer. It’s good to be back, and while I don’t want to promise that I’ll be back to posting full-length reviews the way I used to, I am going to see how doing a monthly round-up works out.

Last month, I read 12 books, everything from YA contemporaries to adult horror to middle grade graphic novels.  You can check out all 12 books below!

  • Six Stunning Sirens by Lynn Cahoon.  I really like this series, and this was a good addition to the Kitchen Witch books.  If you like cozy mysteries, this series is a good read.  You can’t go wrong with a kitchen witch living in a small town who’s helping out with a beauty pageant that goes terribly wrong.
  • The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.  I saw this one when I was at Meet Cute, a romance bookstore in San Diego.  The staff recommendation card is what sold me: angry sapphics in space caves.  And the book definitely lived up to that!  It’s creepy and unsettling and there is something suffocating about the setting.  It’s not surprising, considering we’re in a cave for most of the book.
  • The September House by Carissa Orlando.  This one is an adult horror and I thought it was okay.  It’s definitely creepy, and I liked seeing the mystery unravel.  I love the concept of a haunted house that comes to life only in September, but it wasn’t for me.  
  • A Banh Mi For Two by Trinity Nguyen was so good, and I absolutely loved it!  It’s a super-cute YA contemporary, and one of my favorites from January.  It’s a really cute romance set in Vietnam that’s also about family, history and the trauma that’s a result of history.  All of the food sounded so good, and if you’re a foodie, this is an especially good book to read!
  • The Electric Heir by Victoria Lee, which is okay for me.  It’s a YA sci-fi that has some fantasy elements.  I honestly couldn’t tell you much about this book, even though it’s only been a couple weeks since I’ve read it.  If you’re (understandably) trying to avoid dystopia and overthrowing the government, this series is definitely one to skip, at least for the foreseeable future.  On the hand, if that’s what you’re looking for, definitely check it out.  
  • The Lumbering Giants Of Windy Pines by Mo Netz is a super cute middle grade contemporary.  It has Gravity Falls vibes, and I love the mystery in the book.  Plus, it’s set in a creepy motel on the edge of the woods, and we see how motels are really accessible for Jerry (a wheelchair user) and her mom, which is why they move from motel to motel.  

  • Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe is my other favorite book from January.  It’s an adult romance featuring a believer in all things paranormal and weird and a non-believer in the paranormal.  Hallie and Hayden work on a web series for a Buzzfeed type company, and I loved seeing them fall in love.
  • I read Ex Marks The Spot by Gloria Chao, which is another YA contemporary.  It’s pretty similar to A Banh Mi For Two, in terms of family history and adventure in another country.  I wanted to like Chao’s book more, and I really think that if I hadn’t read the two so close together, I would have like Ex Marks The Spot More.  
  • Next is Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nacosta.  I don’t normally read monster romances, but I really like this book, and the series it’s a part of.  I may have to do another post about this series, because each book focuses on a different couple.  This one is a werewolf and human romance (the first one featured a minotaur and the second had mothman), and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.  
  • House Of Hunger by Alexis Henderson was okay.  It’s adult horror, and very creepy and very gothic.  I love the idea of bloodmaids, and I wanted a little bit more of the world, since we’re confined to Lisabet’s house.  It’s would have been nice to see the world outside of that house.
  • Somewhere In The Deep by Tanvi Berwah.  I liked this YA fantasy.  It’s underwater, which you don’t see a lot of, and it has the same creepy claustrophobia that you get in House Of Hunger and The Luminous Dead.  There are legendary creatures, clashes between people who work in the mines and the people who live on land, and a teen left to deal with the terrible legacy of her parents.  Clearly, family history has been a running theme for January, which wasn’t intentional, but still interesting.  I would definitely recommend this one.
  • Sea Sirens by written by Amy Chu, illustrated by Janet K. Lee.  This was a cute middle grade graphic novel about a Vietnamese-American surfer, her cat Bill, and her grandpa.  I love seeing grandparent-grandchild relationships, because I was close to my own grandparents, and this book was no exception.  I loved that her grandpa was so prominent (though he needs a lot of care since he has dementia), because I feel like we see a lot of grandmas.  Listen, grandma are awesome, but I think we could see a few more grandpas.  They definitely go on an adventure, and I have the sequel next to me, so I’m looking forward to reading that one.  

That’s all for today.  I hope you enjoyed this reading round-up, and I’ll for sure be back next month with another one!  See you around!

Audio Book Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent, Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck

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Book: Alpha by Rachel Vincent, Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck

Published October 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.|Length: 12 hours, 37 minutes

Where I Got It: I own the audio book

Series: Shifters #6

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder and treason. Yeah, we’ve been busy. But now it’s time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother’s death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It’s not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I’m heading for a final showdown that can, that will change everything forever. A showdown I’m not sure I’m ready for.

But life never waits until you’re ready.

I really liked this one!  I’m sad to see this series end, but I’m also glad that I got to see how everything ended.

Faith has been through a lot in this series!  She’s lost some people, and unfortunately, this book had a loss I wasn’t expecting or was remotely prepared for.

She had a lot to deal with after everything that happened with her dad, and she really had to fight for her pride.  She did it, of course, though there were a lot of obstacles along the way.  I wasn’t surprised, and I hope things get at least a little better for her.  She needs things to go her way, in addition to having support from her friends and family.  She needs things to be normal.  Well, as normal as they’re going to get, which isn’t very normal, considering we’re talking about Faith.  But it seems like things will (hopefully) settle down enough for her.

The war wasn’t what I thought it would be.  There was action, of course, and I’m not completely sure what I was expecting, but I think it was something different than what we got.  At least things with certain council members got taken care of, and I think things are headed in a good direction.  A lot of changes are in store, but I think it’ll be good changes.  At least, I hope they’re good.  Things can’t keep going the way they are.

We finally got the Mark-Jace-Faith love triangle resolved, and I wasn’t surprised by who she ended up with.  I’m not enthused with it, though I’m not sure who I’d want for Faith.  It took her a while to figure out what she wanted, and it wasn’t an easy decision to make.  That, with everything else…I don’t know how she managed to take care of everything but she did.

Honestly, I would have been disappointed if the love triangle hadn’t been resolved.  Even though I didn’t love Faith and Mark, or Faith and Jace, I’m still glad we know where that stands.  Honestly, they both deserve better, but it’s not like we’re going to get a third, random choice thrown in.  It was always going to be one of them.

I’ve really liked Jennifer Van Dyck’s narration.  She did a great job giving Faith a voice, and she was a really good choice for this series.  I’m really glad I went with the audio, and it’s because of her!

4 stars.  This was a pretty good end to the series, and it was a great book (and series) to listen to!

Book Review: Quiet In Her Bones by Nalini Singh

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Book: Quiet In Her Bones by Nalini Singh

Published February 2021 by Berkley|384 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: Adult Thriller

In this gripping thriller set in New Zealand, New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes you into the twisted world of an exclusive cul-de-sac located on the edge of a sprawling forest.

My mother vanished ten years ago.
So did a quarter of a million dollars in cash.
Thief. Bitch. Criminal.
Now, she’s back.
Her bones clothed in scarlet silk.

When socialite Nina Rai disappeared without a trace, everyone wrote it off as another trophy wife tired of her wealthy husband.

But now her bones have turned up in the shadowed green of the forest that surrounds her elite neighborhood, a haven of privilege and secrets that’s housed the same influential families for decades.

The rich live here, along with those whose job it is to make their lives easier. And somebody knows what happened to Nina one rainy night ten years ago.

Her son Aarav heard a chilling scream that night, and he’s determined to uncover the ugly truth that lives beneath the moneyed elegance…but no one is ready for the murderous secrets about to crawl out of the dark.

Even the dead aren’t allowed to break the rules in this cul-de-sac.

I did not like this book as much as I thought I would.

I’ve really enjoyed her Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series, and thought I’d give some of her other books a try.  I was confused for pretty much the whole book, and was really close to not even finishing it.  But I decided to keep reading, just so I’d know what happened to Aarav’s mom.

I had trouble keeping track of who was who, and how they were connected to each other and to Aarav.  There were a lot of characters in this book, and even after finishing, I couldn’t begin to tell you who the characters were and how they were all related.

It’s a pretty complex case, what happened to Nina Rai.  It was a surprise to see why she disappeared and who had a hand in her disappearance.  And for her to be so close, but no one knowing about it for a solid decade…that doesn’t surprise me, that she wasn’t far from home, but the person involved was not the person I expected.

I think what made this book hard to get through is how confused and unreliable Aarav is.  He has a lot of issues, and some memory issues on top of that.  Maybe that’s why the book seemed so confusing to me- because Aarav had his own issues he was dealing with.  Some of it is explained, but there’s a lot he doesn’t remember.  The story was repetitive at times, and it would have been nice to get outside of his head a little bit.  Just to see what other people think happened, you know?

At any rate, I think I prefer her romances- I just wasn’t thrilled with this book, and I had a hard time keeping track of the characters and what was going on.

1 star.  I really wanted to like this one, but I struggled to get through it.

Audio Book Review: Interpreter Of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Narrated by Matilda Novak

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Book: Interpreter Of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Narrated by Matilda Novak

Published January 2017 by HighBridge|Run Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes

Where I Got It: I own the audio book

Series: None

Genre: Adult Fiction

Navigating between the Indian traditions they’ve inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri’s elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of cultures and generations. In “A Temporary Matter,” published in The New Yorker, a young Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth, while their Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and hears an astonishing confession.

Lahiri writes with deft cultural insight reminiscent of Anita Desai and a nuanced depth that recalls Mavis Gallant.

I liked Interpreter Of Maladies!  It was an interesting read, and I’m glad I listened to it.

So, Interpreter Of Maladies is several short stories.  Unfortunately, some ended up being background noise that I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to, but I did like the ones that weren’t background noise!  I really liked the last story, and how important the lady was to the boarder.  She seemed like quite the old lady, with a really long life.  It was nice to see how she was remembered, and the impression she made on him.  I really wish I remembered names of the characters, but sadly, I don’t.

There was a common thread of how the characters adapted to life in the U.S.  They all settled around Boston, and had a range of experiences- from missing India, to settling in a new country, to keeping secrets, and making new connections.  I can’t help but wonder if they ever crossed paths and never knew it.  It’s possible they did, and I either missed it or it was never mentioned in the stories.  Either way, they also had their own lives and worries, and each story was a glimpse into the lives of professors and doctors.

It’s definitely worth reading!  I know I missed parts of this book, and maybe audio wasn’t the best choice, but maybe one day, I’ll revisit it in print for a different kind of reading experience.

Matilda Novak did a good job narrating.  There was something very soothing about her voice, and maybe that’s why I had a hard time focusing at times.  O maybe I just picked the wrong book to listen to this weekend.  Either way, it was nice listening to her.

3 stars.  I liked it, and the narrator was really good!  But I had a hard time paying attention to some of the stories, so I’m a little fuzzy on what happened to some of them.

Book Review: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

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Book: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Published January 2021 by St. Martin’s Press|304 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: Adult Mystery/Suspense

A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, Rachel Hawkins’s The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Megan Miranda.

Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie––not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past––or his––catches up to her?

With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?

I really liked The Wife Upstairs!  I’ve really enjoyed her YA books, and I knew I had to read this one!

For a good part of the book, I kept thinking about how this book was like a modern day Jane Eyre.  Then I realized that it’s a Jane Eyre re-telling.  Honestly, it’s a great take on Jane Eyre- Jane is a dog-walker instead of a governess, and Bea is missing/assumed dead, but not really because she won’t stay buried.

There was a touch of mystery/suspense with what happened to Bea and Blanche.  Was it Tripp?  Was it Eddie?  Or was it someone else?  I won’t reveal that here, but it was interesting to see how everything unravels.

The book is mostly narrated by Jane, but we do have Bea take over narrating every once in a while, plus a few chapters from Eddie’s perspective.  It was good to see Bea, since her memory was everywhere.  She’s not what I expected, and neither was Eddie.  I don’t blame Jane for looking over her shoulder, but it seems like things are pretty good.  Jane didn’t have an easy life, but I’m glad things worked out for her in the end.  I hope she finds some peace and happiness, and that she stops looking over her shoulder, wondering if her past will ever catch up with her.

The setting was creepy, though fitting.  It felt suffocating at times, and of course, I couldn’t help but wonder what happened on the night Bea and Blanche were at the lake.  We find out, of course, and the whole time I was reading this book, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.  With a neighborhood full of rich people, with gossipy housewives going to what felt like all the fundraisers and planning committees really worked as the cast of characters in this novel.  Honestly, I don’t blame Jane for wanting to fit in, and find home and friends and people who care about her.  But they don’t really seem like her people, and it seemed like she had to be someone she’s not just to fit in.  Also, I thought it was sad that marrying Eddie was the only way they’d truly accept her.

This is completely random but I couldn’t get no body, no crime by Taylor Swift out of my head.  Seriously, it popped into my head every single time I picked up this book.

If this book had a theme song, that one would be my first choice.

Not that I have another choice, at least one that I can come up with on the spot.  But I’m sure there are other songs that would fit the book really well.  And that cover is amazing!  I don’t know why, but I love it, and somehow, it fits the book as well.  I see it differently now that I’ve actually finished the book but either way, it’s still a great cover!

4 stars.  I really enjoyed this book, and thought the setting was both creepy and suffocating.  The mystery was great, and I like the unraveling mystery of what happened to Bea.

Book Review: Cherish Hard by Nalini Singh

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Book: Cherish Hard by Nalini Singh

Published November 2017 by TKA Distribution|372 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: Hard Play #1

Genre: Adult Contemporary

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh kicks off her new Hard Play contemporary romance series with a sizzling story that’ll leave you smiling…

Sailor Bishop has only one goal for his future – to create a successful landscaping business. No distractions allowed. Then he comes face-to-face and lips-to-lips with a woman who blushes like an innocent… and kisses like pure sin.

Ísa Rain craves a man who will cherish her, aches to create a loving family of her own. Trading steamy kisses with a hot gardener in a parking lot? Not the way to true love. Then a deal with the devil (aka her CEO-mother) makes Ísa a corporate VP for the summer. Her main task? Working closely with a certain hot gardener.

And Sailor Bishop has wickedness on his mind.

As Ísa starts to fall for a man who makes her want to throttle and pounce on him at the same time, she knows she has to choose – play it safe and steady, or risk all her dreams and hope Sailor doesn’t destroy her heart.

I liked Cherish Hard, but not as much as her Guild Hunter series or her Psy-Changling series.  I really like those series, and thought I’d give some of her other books a try.  This book seemed like a good starting point, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

I had a hard time with the fact that it takes place in the real world.  New Zealand was a great setting, but after reading two really long series that take place in a more magical/futuristic setting, I had a hard time with present time and real world.  I didn’t feel completely invested in Isa and Sailor’s relationship, though I really felt for Isa and the horrible family she has to deal with.  Honestly, Singh is great at writing horrible parents, but cool siblings and friendships.  But I just wasn’t into the romance in this book, and I’m not sure why.

Sailor was a little too perfect, and somehow managed to have his whole life planned out at the age of 23.  I’m 34, and even now, my life is nowhere close to being planned out the way his life is.  And I get Isa’s insecurities- who wouldn’t be with her mother, and the way she was publicly dumped several years earlier- but there was something a little too sweet and angelic about her.  Something about it seemed off, and they seemed a little more bland than some of the other characters Singh has written.

The book didn’t have a lot of drama, and overall, it was enjoyable.  It didn’t have the drama or tension I was expecting, but then again, I don’t usually read a lot of contemporary romance- historical and paranormal are much more my speed when it comes to romance, so that might be part of why I didn’t love Cherish Hard but still enjoyed it.

It was nice to see a romance where the heroine is older than the hero- it was refreshing to see it, because usually, the guy is older.  I wish we saw this more in romance, but maybe it’s there, and I just haven’t come across one that’s memorable enough to stick with me.  Or come across one at all- either one’s possible.

I don’t know if I’ll keep reading this particular series- I believe the series focuses on a different brother, so I might pick one up.  I also might not pick one up, but I am curious to see if I’ll like any of her contemporaries more.

3 stars.  I didn’t love it, but it was enjoyable, and a quick read.  I wasn’t super into the romance, but I did like that Isa was older than Sailor.

Book Review: Archangel’s Sun by Nalini Singh

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Book: Archangel’s Sun by Nalini Singh

Published November 2020 by Berkley|382

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: Guild Hunter’s #13

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

A horrifying secret rises in the aftermath of an archangelic war in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s deadly and beautiful Guild Hunter world…

The Archangel of Death and the Archangel of Disease may be gone but their legacy of evil lives on—especially in Africa, where the shambling, rotting creatures called the reborn have gained a glimmer of vicious intelligence.

It is up to Titus, archangel of this vast continent, to stop the reborn from spreading across the world. Titus can’t do it alone, but of the surviving powerful angels and archangels, large numbers are wounded, while the rest are fighting a surge of murderous vampires.

There is no one left…but the Hummingbird. Old, powerful, her mind long a broken kaleidoscope. Now, she must stand at Titus’s side against a tide of death upon a discovery more chilling than any other. For the Archangel of Disease has left them one last terrible gift…

I really liked Archangel’s Sun! I’ve really enjoyed this series, and I’m glad the story is continuing!

This book focuses on Titus and the Hummingbird and it picks up where Archangel’s War left off.  It’s definitely hard for everyone, and there’s a lot of work to do.  There are some pretty terrible surprises along the way, but everything works out in the end.

It’s been a while since I’ve read any of the books in the series, so I was a little bit fuzzy on some of the details.  The really nice thing about this book was that I could be a little bit fuzzy on the details and still know what was going on.  And what had happened before, of course.  A little refresher would have been nice, but at any rate, my fuzziness didn’t get in the way of me enjoying this novel.

I really like the Hummingbird!  She’s had a lot to deal with, and she is easily one of my favorite characters in the series now.  I’m glad she got her own book, because she’s been mentioned before, and I really liked getting her story.  I’m glad things worked out for her, and that she got some happiness.  She’s empathetic and a fierce warrior and this really amazing artist.  She’s different from Titus in a lot of ways, but I really like them together!

I liked Titus too, and even though I remembered his name coming up before, that was all I remembered about him.  We learned a little bit about him, and it sounds like he has quite the family.  But I was a lot more interested in Sharine’s story, and I wanted to know everything about her.  I didn’t feel the same way about Titus, but I think they’ll be really good for each other.  I know we won’t get another book focusing on them, but we’ll for sure see what’s going on with them in the future.  Especially with Sharine’s connections to some of the other characters.

I liked seeing Titus and Sharine work together- he really underestimated her, which is understandable, but she also completely proved him wrong.  She took the time to listen to his people and wasn’t intimidated by him.  She really was the best choice to help him deal with the reborn.  And he really did respect her and listen to her, which was nice.  And I really appreciated seeing that.  I’m not sure why, but I did.  She brought a certain kindness and grace to everything she did, which I loved, and she didn’t let what happened destroy her.  I think that’s why I loved her so much.

4 stars.  I really liked Archangel’s Sun- especially Sharine and her backstory!  I can’t wait to read the next book!

Audio Book Review: Prey by Rachel Vincent, Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck

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Book: Prey by Rachel Vincent, Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck

Published July 2009 by Harlequin S.A.|Length: 12 hours, 33 minutes

Where I Got It: I own the audiobook

Series: Shifters #4

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

Sometimes playing cat and mouse is no game…Play? “Right.” My Pride is under fire from all sides, my father’s authority is in question and my lover is in exile. Which means I haven’t laid eyes on Marc’s gorgeous face in months. And with a new mother “and” an I-know-everything teenager under my protection, I don’t exactly have time to fantasize about ever seeing him again.

Then our long-awaited reunion is ruined by a vicious ambush by strays. Now our group is under attack, Marc is missing and I will need every bit of skill and smarts to keep my family from being torn apart. Forever.

I really liked this one!  I’ve really enjoyed this series, and this book is no exception.

In Prey, we see Faythe dealing with Marc in exile…and Marc goes missing, of course, so Faythe has to deal with that as well.  She’s not willing to give up on finding him, even though there are so many other things that are going on.  She has a lot of heartbreak in the novel, and I was really sad about it.  Faythe and her family has a lot to deal with and they didn’t need that at all.  It made me really sad for her.

Faythe is Faythe, though, and while it hurts now, she will be okay, even if it takes time.  She’s pretty tough, but we do see her as a slightly more vulnerable person in this book.

There are some mysteries in this one, like everything we see with the strays.  I’m curious to see how that works out in the next couple of books, because I feel like that story is far from over.  Also, I really hope Mark is able to leave exile and come back home, but who knows when or how that will happen, if it does?

Honestly, I’ve been feeling pretty frazzled, so I’m surprised I can remember this much about the book!  Granted, when I take a while to review a book, there are times where I don’t always remember a lot, but with school, my brain is somewhat fried.  At any rate, this was an interesting listen, and I really felt for Faythe.  She does find herself in the weird situations, and trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes.

As an audio book, I really liked it!  Jennifer Van Dyck continues to narrate the series, and she does a great job.  Once I finish this series, I want to check out some of the other audio books she narrated.  Honestly, that’s how much I like her!

4 stars.  I really enjoyed Prey, and there’s both mystery and heartbreak for Faythe and her family.  I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Book Review: The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer And Ann Barrows

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Book: The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Ann Barrows

Published July 2018 by The Dial Press|322 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

It’s 1946 and author Juliet Ashton can’t think what to write next. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey – by chance, he’s acquired a book that once belonged to her – and, spurred on by their mutual love of reading, they begin a correspondence. When Dawsey reveals that he is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, her curiosity is piqued and it’s not long before she begins to hear from other members. As letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German Occupation, Juliet soon realizes that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name.

This was a book I read for school, and I liked it!  I’ve talked about this book a lot in discussion posts.

This book is told entirely through letters- we see letters from a lot of different people, though most of the letters are addressed to Juliet and are from Juliet.  I didn’t love the letters, especially at first, but overall, I liked the story.  I really liked following Juliet as she learns more about Guernsey, the literary society and and the German Occupation during World War 2.  All of the people from Guernsey seem like really interesting people, and while I wasn’t enthused with the letters, I still liked reading their letters.

It is a book about books, and that was one of my favorite things about the book.  Some of the characters love reading, while others haven’t read in years.  I just love books about people who love books, though there are a lot of other things going on.  But a love of books and reading does bring together this very strange group of people.

Getting that letter from Dawsey really changed things for Juliet.  She ends up writing the biography of the mother of the child she adopts, she ends up getting married and settles on an island that had a lot to deal with over the last few years.

I liked Juliet’s story, though.  Though we get the stories of the other characters, hers is the one that’s the main focus.  She’s an interesting one, and I wonder what’s in store for her now that she’s married.  I really want to know what she’s going to write after finishing Elizabeth’s biography, and if she’ll ever write something that’s more in the realm of fiction.  Non-fiction seems more her style but you never know.  Anything is possible.

I don’t know that I would have picked this book up on my own, and if I did, I think the letters would have been the reason I decided not to finish it.  But since it was for school, I had to finish it, and I’m glad I did.  I feel like I learned some things- I never knew Guernsey existed before this book, or that it was occupied by German soldiers.  As much as I want to say that I’m going to learn more about it, I know that I probably won’t.  Still, it is in the back of my mind in case I ever change my mind.

I will say, though, that the letters felt very real and thoughtful.  I liked seeing the characters tell their own stories, and the letters made it easy to connect to characters.  It did feel like I was the recipient of the letters, even though I really wasn’t.  In a way, it made it easy to get through, because there were a lot of points where I could easily put the book down and pick it back up.  I can’t imagine the book being told any other way, but…I just don’t know that epistolary novels are for me.

I know it’s a movie, and I’m curious to see how it translated to film as it’s told entirely in letters.  I’d imagine there’s a lot of liberties they could take with the movies, because there’s a lot they could fill in.  Maybe one of these days, I’ll watch it.

3 stars.  I liked the story but I didn’t love that it was told through letters.  Still, I enjoyed it and I think it’s worth checking out.