Review: This Summer by Katlyn Duncan

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3.8 

This Summer was a cute light read. It could be read in a day, which I really liked. It’s something that you could bring to the beach with you. It’s definitely a summer read. This book won’t send you into an ugly sobbing mess, but it will help you complete that reading goal and witness a cute relationship. 

This book did tackle some serious issues. I don’t want to say too much because it would be spoilers, but the author did do it justice. However, the book wasn’t overly dark. 

The main complaint that I have is that the Hadley and Will’s POV sounded similar. At some points, I was confused about whose voice I was reading. I had to really pay attention to the chapter heads.

I didn’t really have an issue with the pacing. It wasn’t overly slow or fast. There were a few things that felt out of place, but not too many. 

Characters 

The characters were likable. I liked Hadley and Will’s relationship. They were cute. Some of their issues could have be solved earlier with a little communication, but the drama between them didn’t last too long. It was a healthy relationship; and it wasn’t boring. There was just the right amount of angst thrown in there. 

I do wish that there was more description/backstory to Will and Hadley’s relationship from when they were younger. In general, I wish the author had included more backstory. 

I did have a few issues with Hadley and Lily’s friendship. I didn’t really see the friendship between them. I wish that it had been showcased a little bit stronger. And I didn’t really agree with Lily’s actions towards the end. 

I absolutely did not like Carter. I wish that he would have not been as prominent in the book as he was. I was extremely happy that Carter and Hadley’s relationship had been over before the book started. 

This is random but I wish that Hadley’s mother had been in the book a little more. 

Final Analysis 

This Summer was a quick and easy read. It was predicable at most times, but that didn’t take away from the experience. It showed healthy relationships and a nice relaxing summer. One of the biggest issues, is that the POV’s of the two main characters were a little bit similar, which in turn, could possibly cause the reader to be confused about who’s POV they were in. All and all, it was an enjoyable summer read and the happy ending could leave the reading feeling as if the story was complete.  
<i> I received a free copy for an honest review. </i> 

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

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3.2 Stars 

I read the first book, and it was decent enough for me to give the second a chance. I haven’t written a review for it yet, but it is around a 3.4 . I’m given this one a 3.2. I had hopes that it would be better than the first, but sadly it wasn’t.

The first book was given more leeway, because it had been the first. I had been hopeful that the second would be able to flesh out the story more and for the book to come into it's own. After reading this one, I’m not sure if I want to continue on but I do enjoy the premise of this series. I really wish that I loved this book. 

The biggest problems I had with the series is the lack of development, descriptions, and explaining. There were quite a few things that made absolutely no sense. If there had been a few hints in the first book, I might have believed or almost accepted a few things that happened in this one.

There was a lot of pointless angst that could've been solved fairly fast or not been included at all. I like angst in books, but in this there was unbalance between angst and other things. 

Throughout, the book I was very confused. I had no idea what was happening. Some of that confusion was caused by the gods. I think it would've been easier for the author to allow the gods to keep their original names. I was only a hundred percent certain that Henry was Hades. Also, I wanted a little more Greek Mythology included. The constant cheating in Greek Myth was mentioned, but I wanted something else as well. 

Characters 

Kate and Henry both were frustrating in this book; Henry more than Kate. Their relationship was cute, but at times I struggled with whether I wanted them together. Kate wasn’t sure if Henry loved her, and honestly, I didn’t know if he did either. I wish there was more development. That would've made it a tad bit believable. 

I wish Persephone and Kate’s relationship had been different. I wanted a strong sister bond between them. Why did Kate have to be jealous of her? 

Final Analysis 

Goddess Interrupted is based on Greek Mythology but it could incorporate a few more Greek elements. It felt original, but it was missing a few core ingredients to make it memorable. The lack of description and explaining was frustrating. All and all, it wasn’t a bad book.

Review: 738 Days by Stacey Kade

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About the Book

At fifteen, Amanda Grace was abducted on her way home from school. 738 days later, she escaped. Her 20/20 interview is what everyone remembers—Amanda describing the room where she was kept, the torn poster of TV heartthrob Chase Henry on the wall. It reminded her of home and gave her the strength to keep fighting.

Now, years later, Amanda is struggling to live normally. Her friends have gone on to college, while she battles PTSD. She’s not getting any better, and she fears that if something doesn’t change soon she never will.

Six years ago, Chase Henry defied astronomical odds, won a coveted role on a new TV show, and was elevated to super-stardom. With it, came drugs, alcohol, arrests, and crazy spending sprees. Now he's sober and a Hollywood pariah, washed up at twenty-four.

To revamp his image, Chase’s publicist comes up with a plan: surprise Amanda Grace with the chance to meet her hero, followed by a visit to the set of Chase’s new movie. The meeting is a disaster, but out of mutual desperation, Amanda and Chase strike a deal. What starts as a simple arrangement, though, rapidly becomes more complicated when they realize they need each other in more ways than one. But when the past resurfaces in a new threat, will they stand together or fall apart?

Review

4.2 Stars 

I was extremely surprised with how well I enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed it. It’s one of those books you still continue to think about a day after you read it, and when you think about it, you can’t help but say “It was a really good book” aloud every time. 

Like mentioned earlier, I hadn’t expected to like this book this much. I can’t even remember putting it on my To Read Shelf. I had only decided to read what it was about when I saw that someone on Goodreads was currently reading it. I'm glad that person was reading this book or else I would've never found it. 

The plot of the book was intriguing. I haven't read anything with a similar plot. This is a book that centered around abduction. However, the author doesn't focus the entire book on the dark elements but it does make sense for her to not go in details about those events since this book is about the aftermath and Amanda moving on. It’s about recovery. We aren't left in the dark about things. We know what happened, and the first chapter is a flashback; which was done very nicely. 

This wasn’t a boring story; it had depth and was complex. I do wish that the story had taken place over a few months rather than a few days. Since this happened over a few days, a few things felt a little sped up. 

Also, I felt some emotions while reading it. My heart hurt for Amanda because I can’t imagine what she went through. 

It does have a happy ending, but the ending was a few notches short of being anti-climatic. It is worth mentioning that this book does get a little steamy. But the sex scene is done well. You won't cringe while reading it. 

Characters

I was invested in these characters. I wanted them to get their happy ending. I loved Amanda. I loved Chase. I loved them together, and I can’t get over how cute they were. They did fall in love a little too quickly, but that can be overlooked. It was a nice romance, and you can’t help but root for them. However, communication could have fixed an issue that they had but I’m going to let it slide. 

Okay, back to Amanda. I thought her character was portrayed very well. Her PSTD was realistic. Instead of only being told about her struggles, we are also shown them. We see her coping; and her problems aren't immediately solved and they don't just go away like they never happened. 

I liked how this book focused on the impact of Amanda’s kidnapping on her, but also on her family. It added a more a realistic element to the story. It was nice reading their dynamic. I must admit I was a little angry towards Mia because of her feelings towards Amanda at the beginning. But as the story progressed I begin to understand. 

I would have liked a tiny bit more focus on Chase’s addiction. However, what was given was good. I liked that we also see Chase struggling. Just because he had gotten sober, that doesn't mean that he's completely okay. 

Final Analysis 

738 Days is a book that doesn’t disappoint. The romance is adorable, but most of all it does justice to a serious topic. We are introduced to a strong main character who is struggling in the beginning, but at the end, she finds love and begins to thrive. At some points the book could be considered predictable and cheesy, but all and all it is a good read. 

Review: How to Disappear by Ann Redisch Stampler

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About the Book

This electric cross-country thriller follows the game of cat and mouse between a girl on the run from a murder she witnessed—or committed?—and the boy who’s sent to kill her.

Nicolette Holland is the girl everyone likes. Up for adventure. Loyal to a fault. And she’s pretty sure she can get away with anything...until a young woman is brutally murdered in the woods near Nicolette’s house. Which is why she has to disappear.

Jack Manx has always been the stand-up guy with the killer last name. But straight A’s and athletic trophies can’t make people forget that his father was a hit man and his brother is doing time for armed assault. Just when Jack is about to graduate from his Las Vegas high school and head east for college, his brother pulls him into the family business with inescapable instructions: find this ruthless Nicolette Holland and get rid of her. Or else Jack and everyone he loves will pay the price.

As Nicolette and Jack race to outsmart each other, tensions—and attractions—run high. Told in alternating voices, this tightly plotted mystery and tense love story challenges our assumptions about right and wrong, guilt and innocence, truth and lies.  

Review

I enjoyed this book. It was a nice, interesting read. It was easy to get into, and I wasn’t angered or bored with it. It isn’t a perfect book, but the issues I have with the book are minor. 

The plot was unique, and I liked that. However, I wouldn’t necessary say it was as thrilling as it wanted to be. Also, there wasn’t too much action. I think that if the book was longer, there could have been more action and mystery thrown in. 

The story was definitely fast paced and that didn’t bother me at all. It went well with the type of story that was being told. Something that bothered me just a tad was the ending. It didn’t feel like a solid ending. A “One Year Later” could easily change my feelings toward it. 

Characters 

I liked both main characters. If I’m being honest, I liked Jax a little more than Nicolette. I found his backstory to be a little bit more interesting. And speaking of backstories, I wish there had been a little bit more backstory to both characters. However, not having a few answers to my questions didn’t take away from the story. The backstory that was given was good. 

I really enjoyed Nicolette and Jax together. They were so cute. My only complaint here is that I wish there had been more pages with them together. Having a few extra pages would have made the love story not seem so fast. 

Another complaint I have about character’s arc is that Olivia, Nicolette’s best friend, was mentioned regularly in the first half of the book, but was completely dropped in the second. A nice consistent friendship would be nice. 

Final Analysis 

How to Disappear is a good book, however, it is missing a few thrills and action. There are some minor plot holes, but they can easily be overlooked and aren’t too frustrating. The story is unique and the characters aren’t perfect. It’s a nice, fast paced book which can be read in one day.  

Review: Midnight in Berlin by James MacManus

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About the Book

Berlin in the spring of 1939. Hitler invades Czechoslovakia and prepares for a wider war. The West’s appeasement policies have failed yet in London Neville Chamberlain’s government continues to try and placate the Nazi leader. Colonel Noel Macrae, a British military attaché based in Berlin, realises the futility of further diplomacy.

He plans to defy his government and carry out the only alternative to a looming world war: assassination. The Gestapo, aware of Macrae’s hostility, seeks to compromise him in their infamous brothel, Salon Kitty. There Macrea meets and falls in love with Sara, a Jewish woman blackmailed into becoming a Nazi courtesan.

Macrae finds himself trapped between the blind policies of his government and the dark world of betrayal and deception in Berlin. As he seeks to save the woman he loves from the sexual sadism of a Gestapo bordello he moves towards a high risk plan to kill Hitler and avert what he knows will be a global war.

Inspired by true events and characters, James MacManus’s Midnight in Berlin is a passionate story that will leave you in awe of the human capacity for courage, sacrifice and love set against a world on the brink of war.

Review

Inspired by actual events, MacManus pens an engaging novel transporting readers back to one of our darkest moments in history. Brilliant prose, vivid depictions of the accounts told through enriched character perspectives, placing the reader in the front row seat behind one of the most compelling storytellers in historical fiction.

I definitely went into this novel with hesitation because of the time period but it offered a different perspective that intrigued my interest to ponder on the possibility of an alternative if history had a different outcome. What I find so interesting is that for many historical novels, they tend to sway more on the sensational side rather than grasping more of a factual base. What I found most endearing about MacManus in his latest was not only the intrigue in his narrative from being swept up in the story but how well researched his novel provided such a vivid portrait for the reader transporting themselves in the time leading up to WWII. Through his words, you can definitely feel the weight of the historical significance which is so brilliantly depicted through his characters drivien plot and setting the tone, giving possible comprehension to the behind the scenes of the people whom the characters were based on.

Mainly we follow, Colonel Noel Macrae but the book offers supporting characters that all come together giving a thrilling experience through this period of our history. Overall the novel blends a well written historical fiction, an unexpected love story, a great group of supporting characters that drive a fantastic plot and most importantly thrilling moments that will have you anticipating what’s next. If you are a fan of this era in history as well as want a compelling, intelligent historical narrative, I’d recommend taking a look at this book.

Review: I.D. by Emma Rios

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About the Book

A dystopian tale that analyzes the conflict between perception and identity through the struggle of three people who consider a 'body transplant' as a solution to their lives.

Review

This short graphic novel spoke to our very tumultuous time when it comes to society's understanding of identity, especially in regard to the larger amount of visibility transgender rights are getting now. It was not in any way conflated or pretentious, and really gave for a genuine reflection on how touchy overall this subject is, in relation to what is identity and what is "right." There was a moment that reflected upon the nature of humans desiring change, which really raised the question of whether or not this whole process of transmigration into new bodies would be ethical or just a choice humans should be given.

 Three strangers find themselves in a board room being told about how their consciousnesses will be transferred into another body and this story tells of how they cope with this choice. Although voluntary in nature, this procedure is risky and obviously life-altering to the extreme. It is not to be taken lightly and Rios does an incredibly good job at providing the necessary gravity of the situation through panel composition, writing, and expressive drawings. One detail I especially enjoyed was the choice to draw the comic in red, which I haven't come across too many times, but which I thought fit perfectly, as I consider red a very visceral color, one deeply connected with life and the body. 

The beginning was a little bit clunky, but once we were given the full dish of what was going on, I was enthralled. The story is vitally reverent and introspective, one that could bring up a great deal of discussion if you wanted to corral an unsuspecting reading club. Overall, I thought it was an excellent read, although short, and I would certainly love to see what Emma Rios does in the future.