Tag: romance

Dawn Study, by Maria V. Snyder

dawn-study
Image belongs to MIRA books.

Maria V. Snyder is a meteorologist turned best-selling and award-winning author. Dawn Study is the third book in the Soulfinders series, but also the sixth (and last) book in the Study series, and the ninth book in the Chronicles of Ixia series. It hits shelves on January 31st.

Yelena and Valek have come a long way from their beginnings in a cell in Ixia. Now their bond goes beyond borders, and their family—both blood and heart—evokes loyalty even in the most trying situations. With their homelands on the brink of war, they must use magic and skill to stop Ixia from invading Sitia when nothing is as it seems.

The Cartel is determined to keep magicians and those in power under the spell of Theobroma—and to keep Yelena as far away from their plots as possible, despite her determination to beat them. With bounty hunters dogging her steps, she is forced to make a dangerous deal, while Valek investigates the layers of deception surrounding the Commander. The fate of both countries—and Valek and Yelena—rests on the most unlikely weapons, one that can help them, and one that may destroy everything they hold dear.

Dawn Study is the final Study book, which saddens me, since I’ve been reading this series since the beginning. The way Yelena and Valek have grown and changed since the beginning—a prisoner sentenced to death and the super spy who offers her a chance at redemption, as a poison-taster—is astonishing. Their relationship grew with each novel, and the bond between them now is rock-solid. They spend most of this book in water so hot I had no inkling how they’d escape. Even the “minor” characters in this series are memorable and vibrant. I cannot recommend these books highly enough. I’m sad the series is ending.

(Galley provided by MIRA books.)

You Don’t Know My Name, by Kristin Orlando

you-dont-know-my-name
Image belongs to Swoon Reads.

Kristin Orlando has a degree in English literature and loves, words, bacon, and PJs. You Don’t Know My Name is her new novel.

Seventeen-year-old Reagan Hillis isn’t used to having friends and a normal life. She’s used to secrets, combat, and weaponry, having spent her life training to follow her parents’ footsteps in the top-secret Black Angels. Now she has a life, a group of friends, and feelings for the boy next door, Luke. Reagan isn’t even sure if she wants to be a Black Angel. Wouldn’t a normal life be so, well, nice?

When a rescue mission goes bad in South America, Reagan’s parents are right in the middle of it, and trouble follows them home, threatening to capsize Reagan’s normalcy and sink it without a trace. Reagan is tired of leaving her life in the middle of the night, and desperate for her parents to understand. But sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to, to save others, and Reagan finds herself on a mission with high stakes, a mission her normal life pales in comparison to.

I was expecting a fun type of story, like the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. (I don’t know why I was expecting this, I just was.) That is not what I got. Instead, I got adventure, action, anxiety…and romance. Reagan has had a challenging life, and until recently, she’s been happy to follow her parents’ footsteps. But now she sees just how thrilling normal can be, and wants it more than anything. She’s so normal, so real, that I just loved her. Her relationship with Luke felt natural and charmed me. This is a fantastic read, but the ending was not what I expected. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

(Galley provided by Swoon Reads via NetGalley.)

 

Murky Pond, by T.L. Haddix

pr-12-murky-pond-188x300
Image belongs to Streetlight Graphics Publishing.

 

T.L. Haddix is the author of the I. Ronik series, the Sunset Motel series, the Shadows collection, and the Firefly Hollow series. Murky Pond is the 12th book in the Firefly Hollow series.

Lily Campbell does not want to go home. Months ago, she spent one night with Warren Sullivan, and a years-long friendship ended as Lily ran away to travel the world. Now her job is over, and it’s time to return to Dragonfly Creek Farm. And Warren.

Warren has lost more than most people can imagine, but he found home at Dragonfly Creek Farm. When his best friend ran away from him after their night together, he was wounded to the core. Now Lily is back on the farm, and Warren is determined to ignore her—and what happened between them. If only it were that easy.

I did not realize ahead of time that Murky Pond (and the Firefly Hollows series) is “romance with light, folklore-paranormal elements,” so when, about halfway through the book, there was an offhand reference to some of the family members being shapeshifters…I had to re-read the sentence and re-evaluate in my mind. I love paranormal, so I didn’t mind, but nothing else had indicated this aspect, so it caught me off-guard. Also, this is the 12th book in a series, and the first of the series I’ve read, so there’s that. This actually made me more interested in reading the series, as I love a good group of interconnected stories and characters like this. This was a very enjoyable book, and I love the cover!

(Galley provided by Streetlight Graphics Publishing via NetGalley.)

Enveloping Shadows, by Lauren D.M. Smith

enveloping-shadows
Image belongs to Carina Press.

Lauren D.M. Smith is the author of The Emperor’s Arrow, winner of Harlequin’s 2015 So You think You Can Write contest. Her newest novel is Enveloping Shadows.

Terrwyn is a knight and the chief bodyguard of the princess. Her sword skills are all she needs. Until a stranger cloaked in darkness snatches the princess right in front of Terrwyn before she can even move. Now Terrwyn can no longer ignore the rumors of monsters and dark monsters as she sets out to rescue the princess.

All alone and in an unfamiliar land, Terrwyn cannot afford to refuse help from the mysterious stranger who steps from the shadows. Zelek, full of secrets and after the same man who kidnapped the princess, is a shadow-whisperer intent on avenging his family. Together, he and Terrwyn must face Zelek’s old enemy and a sorceress with a demon at her side if they are to save the princess and repay a debt from Zelek’s past,

I loved the premise of this book, and Zelek’s power was intriguing—he can talk to shadows! I also loved the idea of Terrwyn being a female knight, and that being no big deal at all in this world, even if slightly unusual. Zelek on the whole was a far more interesting character than Terrwyn, whom I found to be somewhat inconsistent:  experienced with men yet super shy with Zelek (this was more on the “Ah, how cute!” level than anything.), a stellar warrior who runs into situations without thought, super focused yet oblivious to the obvious at times. I liked the world itself a lot, and would be interested in reading more set in it, but the character inconsistencies and the caricature villains were troublesome for me.

(Galley provided by Carina Press.)

Unnatural Deeds, by Cyn Balog

unnatural-deeds
Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

Cyn Balog is a young adult author. Her newest novel is Unnatural Deeds.

Victoria Zell has never fit in. Not that she cares. She and her homeschooled boyfriend, Andrew, are inseparable, so Victoria doesn’t care about anyone else. Until Zachary Zimmerman shows up in her homeroom:  he’s gorgeous and popular, everything Victoria is not. Within the first hour, he convinces her to cut class, and now Victoria can’t get enough of that rush.

Even though Vic is loyal to Andrew, she is drawn to Z. But Z has secrets, and soon Vic is lying to everyone as she tries to unravel those secrets. Except Z isn’t the only one with secrets, and Vic’s past will come back to haunt her in its destructive rampage.

This book…I thought I knew where it was going. Seriously. All the signs pointed one way, and then we ended up completely off the map. I never saw the ending coming. Like, at all. Z and Vic are both great characters, and you’ll find yourself drawn into their mystery as they struggle to untangle it. You should definitely read this book!

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire.)

Did I Mention I Miss You? by Estelle Maskame

did-i-mention-i-miss-you
Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

Estelle Maskame is the author of the Wattpad sensation Did I Mention I Love You? trilogy. Did I Mention I Miss You? is the final book.

Eden hasn’t spoken with Tyler in over a year. After he left her, she started a new life at a school in Chicago, and tried to forget about Tyler. Now she’s just angry at him, and she never wants to speak to him again. But back in Santa Monica for the summer, it’s hard to forget Tyler when she’s surrounded by things that remind her of him.

And she’s not the only one who returns to Santa Monica. Tyler has made a new life for himself, and he wants Eden in it. Eden is confused by this new Tyler, and she’s not sure if she can ever forgive him. But when family conflict draws them together, Eden must decide if Tyler is worth everything he’s put her through.

Okay, I’ll admit it:  cheesy high school movies are a guilty pleasure of mine. Think Ten Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance. I also love reading books like that, and the DIMILY trilogy fits nicely in there. It’s been fun seeing Eden and Tyler change and grow throughout the books, and this is an enjoyable ending to a series I liked.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

A Whole Latte Murder, by Caroline Fardig

a-whole-latte-murder
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Alibi.

Caroline Fardig is the author of the Java Jive Mysteries series. The newest novel, A Whole Latte Murder, hit shelves last week.

Juliet’s life has been looking up. Business at Java Jive, the coffee shop she runs, is booming. Her romance with hot cop Ryder is heating up. And she hasn’t found any dead bodies in weeks. Then Ryder gets promoted to homicide, and Juliet’s happiness turns to fear, as she contemplates his involvement with the worst kind of criminals.

Worse yet, girls are going missing in Nashville, and the city is on edge. Chelsea, Juliet’s neighbor, is especially nervous, and Juliet tries to calm her fears. But when Juliet finds Chelsea dead, she ends up right in the middle of Ryder’s first homicide investigation, a situation neither of them are happy about. Then Pete, Juliet’s best friend, winds up in the mix as one of the coffee shop employees goes missing. Now Juliet and Pete want to help find her, and all Ryder wants is Juliet to stay out of the way. What’s a girl to do when a killer’s on the loose?

The Java Jive books are a fantastic series of books. Light-hearted and funny, with plenty of pitfalls and antics, they are sure to have the reader laughing. A Whole Latte Murder is no exception, as Juliet continues to be a magnet for trouble and her curiosity keeps landing her in hot water. A fun, entertaining murder mystery!

(Galley provided by Alibi via NetGalley.)

The Scent of Salt and Sand, by P.C. and Kristin Cast

 

sss
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Diversion Books.

 

P.C. and Kristin Cast are a mother-daughter writing team. They wrote the NYT best-selling House of Night series. The Scent of Salt and Sand is a novella in their Escaped series.

The walls separating Tartarus have fallen, and now monsters from Greek mythology have escaped to the mortal world. The Sirens are part of the escapees. Bound for centuries because of their bloodlust, greed, and murders, the Sirens now run Siren Tours for tourists to Alcatraz, where they find their prey.

It’s Melody’s first time in the mortal realm, and she doesn’t want to be there. She’s different from the other Sirens:  she doesn’t like blood, she has no interest in murder, and she hears specters in the water. Then she meets Dean, who becomes her assigned target, and falls in love. Can she keep Dean safe from her monstrous family, or has their love doomed them both?

So…I like P.C. and Kristin Cast. I enjoy their writing, which has a decidedly young adult slant. I’ve met them both, and they’re very bubbly and funny. I’m a fan of P.C.’s Goddess Summoning series, as well as The House of Night. I have not read either of the books in this series. I enjoyed most of this novella. The Sirens have always fascinated me, and their move in the real world is well-done. However, I really didn’t care for the ending of The Scent of Salt and Sand. At all. I intend to read Amber Smoke, but I’m pretty undecided about reading any more about the Sirens.

(Galley provided by Diversion books via NetGalley.)

Getting it Right, by Elizabeth Jane Howard

getting it right
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Open Road Media.

 

Elizabeth Jane Howard was a model and actress turned novelist. She published Getting it Right in 1982, and it was made into a movie a few years later.

Gavin Lamb is a 31-year-old hair dresser in London. He still lives at home. He’s shy beyond measure. And he has a fear of interacting with people. He likes Mozart and Tolstoy, but women scare him, even his overbearing, neurotic mother, who wants to control every facet of his and his father’s lives.

Then Gavin gets forced to attend a party, and his life changes forever when he meets two women:  the colorful Joan, rich and married; and Minnie Munday, a party-crasher who claims to be royalty. Gavin has never seen so much crazy in one place, but these two women will teach him about finding true love.

Getting it Right is an interesting read about sometimes-colorful characters. I didn’t realize it was published in in 1982 when I was asked to review it, so the setting took me a few minutes to assimilate to. Gavin initially reminded me of Ignatius J. Reilly in A Confederacy of Dunces, but he grew so much as a character that that comparison faded from my mind.

(Galley provided by Open Road Integrated Media via NetGalley.)

The Last Road Home, by Danny Johnson

last-road-home-flat-cover
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Kensington Books.

Danny Johnson is a Vietnam veteran, and a writer of Southern fiction. His first published novel is The Last Road Home.

Raeford “Junebug” Hurley has had a hard life. At the age of eight, his parents die, and he goes to live with his grandparents on their tiny farm. There he meets Fancy Stroud and her brother Lightning, children of black sharecroppers, and they become fast friends, almost unheard of in 1950’s North Carolina. Tobacco farming is hard, desperate work, and Junebug is grateful for Fancy’s support when things grow even harder, and soon they are more than friends.

A moneymaking scheme gone bad and a visit from the KKK have Junebug and Fancy setting out in search of different dreams. She, a place free from the casual bigotry and hatred that infuse every day in the rural South. He, looking for a place he feels at home, a place where his darkest secrets will be safe. The connection between Junebug and Fancy is strong, but will it be strong enough to withstand war and thousands of miles of distance?

The Last Road Home is a deep, emotional book about friendship and love in the midst of hardship and hatred. This is not an uplifting, breezy novel, but one with unexpected depths that delves into the darkness inside us all. The ending was not what I had hoped for, but it was true to the story. This is well-worth reading.

(Galley provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.)