The Virgin's War by Laura Andersen

For those who just can’t get enough of the scandalous Tudors, the Tudor Legacy series comes to its gripping conclusion. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir.

It’s 1585, and the balance of European power is tilting dangerously toward war. It will take all of Elizabeth Tudor’s skill and wiles to defend England from the looming threat of the Spanish Armada.

Complicating matters is Elizabeth’s beloved daughter—the result of the Queen’s tempestuous marriage with her worst enemy: King Philip of Spain.

As Elizabeth commits her riches, her honor, and her people to the coming war, the Queen will risk everything—even her own life—to preserve England’s freedom. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

I didn't realize going into this book that it was the third one but I'm still giving it 4 stars even though I had a little bit of trouble following what was going on. I did recognize a few names and things from reading a lot of other Tudor books. I LOVE anything Tudor and I'm going to have to go and dig out some of those said books from my stacks and read more. And probably binge watch my Tudor box set with Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry the VIII!

Anyway, this book is about several people including Queen Elizabeth's daughter, Anne Isabella Tudor who was the Princess of Wales.

There is also Pippa and Matthew, Stephen and Maisie, Kit and other people. I can't list them all.

I really loved Pippa's character. She was a seer of sorts and this caused trouble when a certain bastard started calling her a witch. Said bastard would be a priest named Navarro! Damn I really wish I could have read these from the start.

Anyway, Queen Elizabeth and her daughter as well as other advisors are preparing for war with Spain. Princess Anabel (Anne Isabella) sacrifices herself to be a wife so they can get help from another Kingdom. But lets just say that all works out in the end.

And then the evil bastard, Navarro gets Pippa and just does a horrible thing to her and tries to kill her.

--->EXCERPT<---

Stephen has seen men whipped before. It was sometimes necessary in a military company. But the thought of his little sister--lovely, mischievous, generous Pippa--beneath the lash of a whip made him want to put his hands around Navarro's through and choke the life out of him.

Let us just say that sweet little Navarro got what he deserved. Princess Anabel isn't afraid to roll heads. <--- Pun intended.

So the battle commences and Queen Elizabeth is recovering at Leeds from an assassin attack. But all works out in the end. It's sad and good and I just loved it. Like I said though, I need to go back and read the other two from this trilogy and there is one other one ahead of it. I have never read this author's work about the Tudor dynasty but she did a good job.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.* 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1652106433

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Virgins-War-Tudor-Legacy-Trilogy/dp/0804179409/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464740831&sr=1-1&keywords=the+virgin%27s+war+in+books

I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young (Volume 1: Madly Ever After)

From superstar writer and artist Skottie Young (Rocket Raccoon, Wizard of OZ, Fortunately, The Milk), comes the first volume of an all-new series of adventure and mayhem.

An Adventure Time/Alice in Wonderland-style epic that smashes it's cute little face against grown-up, Tank Girl/Deadpool-esque violent madness. Follow Gert, a forty year old woman stuck in a six year olds body who has been stuck in the magical world of Fairyland for nearly thirty years. Join her and her giant battle-axe on a delightfully blood soaked journey to see who will survive the girl who HATES FAIRYLAND. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

I wouldn't let kids read this one! It's extremely gory and funny to boot!



Poor Gertrude it just a normal little girl playing into her room when she falls into fairyland.

She ends up being stuck there for 27 years because she can't find the key that will lead her home. And she's not a happy camper!









The Queen wants Gertrude out of fairyland because all she does is reek havoc! I mean she's inside of a little girls body still and she's in her 30's!

The Queen sends all kinds of things her way but it just doesn't work.



I love Gertrude's sidekick, Larry. He's supposed to be her guide and he is sarcastic and just plain funny as hell.



The ending was great. It's like Gertrude can't win for losing and that's all I'm going to say!

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1651744290

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Hate-Fairyland-Madly-Ever-After/dp/1632156857?ie=UTF8&keywords=i%20hate%20fairyland&qid=1464718871&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

My True Love Gave To Me ~ Multiple Authors (Short Stories)

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

First off this book is gorgeous! I had to get the UK Edition and I love it so much!





1. Midnights ~ Rainbow Rowell ~ 5/5

I wasn't sure I would like this story as it only takes place on New Years Eve from 2011 - 2014. Mags first met Noel on New Year's Eve 2011 where she saved him an allergic reaction from not eating snacks with nuts in them. And they became best friends. But every New's Years Eve from there on she wants to be the one to kiss Noel but he's always kissing another girl.... until 2014 - her dream finally came true. There are more revelations and I'm not going to say what led up to anything, but this story was so good. I just loved it. I loved both of the characters and their chemistry together! And this wasn't even a long story as opposed to some of the other ones.



2. The Lady and the Fox ~ Kelly Link ~ 3/5



This story was a bit bizarre but I still give it three stars. Every year for a bit of time when it snows, Miranda meets this boy named Fenny in the gardens. He only has until the snow stops falling to be with her. He is apparently trapped by some snow witch or something. And no, they don't really explain why he is trapped. Needless to say Miranda saves him and I guess they have a happily ever after.
3. Angels In The Snow ~ Matte de la pena ~ 5/5



This is a sweet story about a boy named Shy who is watching his bosses apartment for Christmas. Well, rather he's watching the cat. But this boss didn't give him any money before he left and there is no food but maybe a few yogurts and random small things. Shy is starving but he won't try to go out and get help.

Haley is a girl in another apartment that needs to use his shower. They become friends but he doesn't tell her he's starving. I mean I wanted to smack him several times. But I digress. Haley finds out on her own that he has no food and she starts packing it on. She makes him all kinds of food and they form as sweet little romance.

4. Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me ~ Jenny Han - 4/5

This one is cute because Natty is a human that lives at the North Pole with Santa and the Elves. But when she went on a Christmas run with Santa one year she meets a little human boy. She has thought about him ever since and now that she is older she wants to find him. Especially since humans and elves can't be together and the crush she has on Flynn the elf isn't going to work out. I thought the ending was sweet and cute.

5. It's A Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown ~ Stephanie Perkins ~ 5/5



This is a wonderful story about Marigold and North. Marigold wants to use North's voice on her Youtube channel. She does animations and that's what she wants to do for a living with one of the big companies.

North works for his parents tree farm and he's always outside her window selling trees. She doesn't have the money to get a tree but she wants to try to get one so she can talk to him. She asks for a Charlie Brown tree, it's so sweet ♥

North ends up taking the tree to her apartment and then helps her clear a space since there is so much clutter. This ends up taking so many hours and they talk and talk. Marigold finally admits her scheme and other nice things happen. That's all I'm saying ♥

6. Your Temporary Santa ~ David Levithan ~ 2/5

7. Krampuslauf ~ Holly Black ~ 2/5

8. What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? ~ Gayle Forman ~ 2/5

9. Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus ~ Myra McEntire ~ 3/5

This one was okay. You have Vaughn who is the town prankster.

I was the guy who taught other kids how to egg houses, roll yards, and glue mailboxes shut. And the older I got, the more elaborate my pranks became. In middle school, I filled the clinic with Styrofoam peanuts. Last year, my junior year of high school, I decorated the town Christmas tree with neon thong underwear.

But one of his little pranks turns bad and he ends up catching the Church on fire. So he's in trouble for all of that and helping to fix it back up and work on the pageant. He starts talking to Gracie Robinson and they seem to click and she finds out he's not such a bad guy after all.

10. Welcome To Christmas, Ca ~ Kiersten White ~ 5/5

Maria lives in this small town and works at the diner for her mother and her mother's boyfriend Rick. Maria hates it and wants to get out of town as soon as she can. She's not sure how since she can't afford college and she can't afford much of anything else.

Then when they replace the old cook that passed with the new cook Ben... things become sort of magical. Ben has a way of know what to feed people no matter what they order and it's awesome. They find a little magic together as well and the ending is sweet with Maria's dreams coming true. Even dreams she didn't know she had.
11. Star of Bethlehem ~ Ally Carter ~ 2/5

12. The Girl Who Woke The Dreamer ~ Laini Taylor ~ 2/5



Overall I enjoyed the book and some really sweet stories!

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1467309506

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK: 

http://www.amazon.com/My-True-Love-Gave-Me/dp/1250059305?ie=UTF8&keywords=my%20true%20love%20gave%20to%20me&qid=1464702309&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

I actually got this UK edition through Abe Books because Book Depository didn't have it. Unfortunately it was supposed to be new but I could clearly see it was used but I still loved it. Just no more buying from Abe books for me.

Freedom's Child by Jax Miller

Freedom Oliver has plenty of secrets.  She lives in a small Oregon town and keeps mostly to herself.  Her few friends and neighbors know she works at the local biker bar; they know she gets arrested for public drunkenness almost every night; they know she’s brash, funny, and fearless. 

What they don’t know is that Freedom Oliver is a fake name.  They don’t know that she was arrested for killing her husband, a cop, twenty years ago.  They don’t know she put her two kids up for adoption.  They don’t know that she’s now in witness protection, regretting ever making a deal with the Feds, and missing her children with a heartache so strong it makes her ill.

Then, she learns that her daughter has gone missing, possibly kidnapped.  Determined to find out what happened, Freedom slips free of her handlers, gets on a motorcycle, and heads for Kentucky, where her daughter was raised.  As she ventures out on her own, no longer protected by the government, her troubled past comes roaring back at her: her husband’s vengeful, sadistic family; her brief, terrifying stint in prison; and the family she chose to adopt her kids who are keeping dangerous secrets.

Written with a ferocious wit and a breakneck pace, Freedom’s Child is a thrilling, emotional portrait of a woman who risks everything to make amends for a past that haunts her still. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

This book made me cry! Also some mild spoilers, but a lot are in the blurb.



--->EXCERPT<---

Have you ever heard your soul snap in two? Have you ever cried for so long that you find yourself on the verge of fainting? Have you ever clawed at the frozen earth so hard that your fingernails break off? Have you ever screamed so loud that there was no noise at all, your windpipes simply failing you under the pressure? The reaction of a woman kneeling on the several graves of her one daughter.

I scare away the ghosts of the Thoroughbreds. I scare away anything that dares to haunt this field. And in a way that I cannot explain, I've never felt more alive. In my own daughter's death, I never felt so much more alive than this. Because on the other side of such a tragedy, of such turmoil, of such a long journey, something awaits me.

This book is rough not only with feelings but with the content. Drugs, rapists, horrible people from hell, cults... there is so much. And a woman that was known at one time as Nessa Delaney that before she was a Delaney she was a sweet and smart girl that would have went far. But she got in with the Delaney family and her time for all the goodness ended. Her name now is Freedom Oliver because she is in the witness protection program. She killed her husband, she's a drunk, she had to give up her kids, she wants to kill herself a lot of the time, she works in a tough bar and she just doesn't care any more.



Matthew Delaney has been let out of prison after many years and he is coming for Freedom. The Delaney family has several horrible brothers and a horrific mother. There is only one good boy in the bunch and that is Peter. He is disabled in a wheelchair and they do horrible things to him as well. His mother also steals his disability check so he has nothing. But he is smart and he's going to help Freedom.

Freedom finds out that her daughter is missing. She knows about her kids and who adopted them but they know nothing about her really. When she finds out about her daughter she leaves everything and heads out for the Delaney's because she just knows they are in on it.

Along the way she meets a Native American and his Elder father. She learns a beautiful and sad story from them. I really loved this little stop with them because of the things that were talked about and what Freedom does to help them. It is funny how they meet though. :-)

--->EXCERPTS<---

"I don't understand. . ."
"Rattlesnake bite. Caught you twice, once in the leg, once in the arm."
"So I wasn't shot?"
He raises his eyebrows. "Were you expecting to be shot?"
"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to be attacked by a rattlesnake and dragged across the desert by an old Indian man."

••••••••••

I wash and get dressed in the bathroom. The rain is dying, the pain is easing. I wrap my money back in rubber bands and splash my face with cold water to get rid of the fuzzy edges of this high before I'm on my way. On the windowsill are magazines: a Native American newspaper, a Reader's Digest, a TV guide. Sticking out of the newspaper, probably hiding, next to a Shoshone crossword puzzle, is the corner of an envelope addressed to Deseronto. My nosy @ss opens it and reads it. Inside is a letter from the county: a final notice from Margefield Properties that because of the 2011 border shift, his property is no longer part of a federal Indian reservation. He owes back taxes of nearly twenty thousand dollars to the state or he will be forced to vacate the premises. I get the feeling his son doesn't know.
I look into the mirror and make my decision.

Just like the government! Well you can imagine what Freedom does and it makes me cry.

Freedom does get to finally see her son again, he's all grown up and Mason, Freedom and Peter do all they can to try to bring down the Delaney's. I have to say, I never saw any of it coming. I really thought I had it pegged and the author takes it to a whole other level. I will say the evil Delaney's won't be evil any more, but there is a lot more evilness going around and it has to come to an end as well. Some really sick, sick people in this book and in real life unfortunately. They all exist out there somewhere!

I really enjoyed the book even though it was sad and some things were hard to handle. There is a happy ending though.

*I would like to thank Blogging For Books for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1651461941

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Freedoms-Child-Novel-Jax-Miller/dp/0553446878/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1464542092&sr=1-1

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

"What a compulsive read! A brilliant first novel that kept me transfixed and entertained until the very last page." -- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Die Again

Escape was just the beginning. Held captive for eight years, Lily has grown from a teenager to an adult in a small basement prison. Her daughter Sky has been a captive her whole life. But one day their captor leaves the deadbolt unlocked.
This is what happens next...
... to Lily, to her twin sister, to her mother, to her daughter...and to her captor.   

For fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, BABY DOLL is the most tense thriller you will read this year. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

***MILD SPOILERS***



--->EXCERPT<---

A dead bolt has a very specific sound. Lily was an expert at recognizing certain sounds--the creak of the floorboards signaling his arrival, the mice scurrying across the concrete in search for food. But Lily always braced herself for the sound of the dead bolt, listening as metal scraped against the metal. The lock as beginning to rust, so it always took him several tries. But inevitably, she would hear the click, the sound that meant they were trapped for another week, another month, another year. But tonight, she heard nothing. Only deafening silence. Hours passed, and she couldn't stop thinking about the lock.

Lily has was taken when she was sixteen by someone that was a prominent person in the community. His name is Rick. He kept her in the basement of his cabin in the woods for eight years. This is where she also gave birth to their child Sky from the multiple rapes from Rick. She suffered a lot of abuse in the little basement. But one time... just one time.. he forgets to latch the lock.

RUN RUN RUN.. FREE FREE FREE...

I was so nervous that Lily and Sky weren't going to make it. I thought it would be some sick joke. But it was a harsh reality when Lily realized how close to home she actually was and that's even scarier.

The book is told from multiply POVs. You have Lily, Rick (evil man), Eve (Lily's Mom) and Abby (Lily's twin sister.) They all have important parts to play in the book.

Abby has pined for her twin sister ever since she was taken. She kept telling people that Lily was still alive and she was right when Lily shows up on the doorstep with Sky. Abby has a very volatile temper. She's very protective of Lily and she does a very good job in my opinion. But there is one thing that Abby is afraid for Lily to know. She doesn't want to hurt her. I won't get into all of that, you can read the book.

As you can figure, the family goes through a lot of stuff. They have to face the trial with Rick and let me tell you... I did not see that coming. It was so wonderful and maybe I shouldn't say that but I felt that way. Sometimes people get what they deserve that the justice system just can't do for themselves.

At first I was torn between a three star or what because at first the book did sound similar to another book. But then the book took off in another direction and I really enjoyed it. Okay if I confess the part that turned me around was in the courtroom and what lovely feelings revenge can make you feel against someone that hurts women. There was a great happily ever after as well as their should be in this case.

*I would like to thank Netgalley and Redhook Books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1651741534

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Doll-Hollie-Overton/dp/0316268712?ie=UTF8&qid=1464523303&ref_=tmm_hrd_swatch_0&sr=1-1

Spells of Blood and Kin by Claire Humphrey

In her extraordinary debut, Spells of Blood and Kin, Claire Humphrey deftly weaves her paranormal world with vivid emotional depth and gritty violence. Bringing together themes of death, addiction, and grief, Claire takes readers on a human journey that goes beyond fantasy.
When her beloved grandmother dies suddenly, 22-year-old Lissa Nevsky is left with no choice but to take over her grandmother’s magical position in their small folk community. That includes honoring a debt owed to the dangerous stranger who appears at Lissa’s door.
Maksim Volkov needs magic to keep his brutal nature leashed, but he’s already lost control once: his blood-borne lust for violence infects Nick Kaisaris, a charming slacker out celebrating the end of finals. Now Nick is somewhere else in Toronto, going slowly mad, and Maksim must find him before he hurts more people.
Lissa must uncover forbidden secrets and mend family rifts in order to prevent Maksim from hurting more people, including himself. If she fails, Maksim will have no choice but to destroy both himself and Nick. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

3 STARS 

I'm not really sure about this book. I loved it toward the end and the beginning but during a lot of the middle it sort of dragged for me. Maybe I just didn't understand all that was going on.

Lissa's grandmother dies in the beginning of the book. We don't even get to meet her that way because it starts out with her death. She's a very powerful witch that has been around for a long time. She has been teaching Lissa spells and leaves her house and everything to her.

Lissa does spells for the neighborhood people that come for different kinds of potions. It's kind of neat because she does the spell over an egg with whatever ingredients the spell calls for and the person is supposed to drink the egg, preferably in something tasty!

And there these people in the book called kin and I never could figure out what they were. I thought they might be wolves because of the way they talk about running and being outside. They love the taste of blood so they try to keep themselves tired out and drunk so they won't get wild. It stated in the book they are not vampires that they are just an old race with powers. Hmmmm... maybe I got something wrong.

Anyway, so this kin named Maksim always visited Lissa's grandmother and she gave him sleeping eggs and was supposed to find a cure for him. He doesn't want to worry about hurting someone but he has turned someone and he needs to get this done quickly. Only... he finds out that Lissa is the only one left so he asks for her help. There is a way that Lissa can contact her grandmother at certain times and only ask three questions. Lissa had no clue this guy-ish person existed but she finds out about him and agrees to help.

There is also another kin named Gus and she has known Maksim for many years and they try to look out for each other. Gus doesn't like the witches because she is afraid of what they can do but that all works out later on. The guy that Maksim changes is named Nick. They are trying to take care of him too so he doesn't hurt someone. Basically they run a lot and stay drunk a lot. I think I said that already, but I digress.

Oh and Lissa's stepsister Stella comes to live with her. This is a big surprise to Lissa as she doesn't want her there but they form a bond and it's really sweet. I loved that part. It's sad though because Lissa's dad wouldn't come over to visit her so to hell with him.

Like I said, I liked the book good enough I just wish I didn't feel like I was crazy as a loon at times because I wasn't sure what in the hell they were talking about. I also wish I really and truly knew what they are besides kin. I mean I googled it but I didn't get anything from Russian folklore or didn't type it in correctly.

Either way I think a lot of people will enjoy the book a lot and some will like it well enough like me. :-)

*I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honests review.*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1651459333

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Spells-Blood-Kin-Dark-Fantasy/dp/125007634X?ie=UTF8&qid=1464483577&ref_=tmm_hrd_swatch_0&sr=8-1

Titanborn by Rhett C. Bruno

In this gritty and innovative science-fiction thriller in the vein of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, turmoil on one of Saturn’s moons rattles Earth’s most powerful citizens—and draws one planet-hopping rogue into a fight he never saw coming.

Malcolm Graves lives by two rules: finish the job, and get paid. After thirty years as a collector, chasing bounties and extinguishing rebellions throughout the solar system, Malcolm does what he’s told, takes what he’s earned, and leaves the questions to someone else—especially when it comes to the affairs of offworlders.

But his latest mission doesn’t afford him that luxury. After a high-profile bombing on Earth, the men who sign Malcolm’s paychecks are clamoring for answers. Before he can object, the corporation teams him up with a strange new partner who’s more interested in statistics than instinct and ships them both off to Titan, the disputed moon where humans have been living for centuries. Their assignment is to hunt down a group of extremists: Titanborn dissidents who will go to any length to free their home from the tyranny of Earth.

Heading into hostile territory, Malcolm will have to use everything he’s learned to stay alive. But he soon realizes that the situation on the ground is much more complex than he anticipated . . . and much more personal.@goodreads

MY REVIEW:

 

4 STARS 

Are you serious with that ending!



It can't end like that! Where is the next book?

For some reason the main character and the book made me think of two things. Malcolm as Mel Gibson in Mad Max and the story line something like Bladerunner and I have no idea why.


Malcolm has been a collector for the Pervenio Corp for thirty years. They need something or someone gotten, he goes and gets it. There are a lot of different people out there fighting each other for a lot of different reason. I got the gist of most of it but since I have a tiny brain and some books blow my mind, I might have gotten lost in translation. That being said, we have Malcolm and he's asked to go on a big mission because some of the other people from other planets set off a bomb on Earth. Now these are all humans, but some live on Mars, the Moon, Saturn, some other places here and there and when they live in these other places, they sort of change. That's all I can tell you.

Malcolm gets paired up with a partner. He likes to work alone so he's not happy with this and the last partner he had was his daughter Aria. And lets just say things didn't work out too well in that department as he hasn't seen his daughter in a few years. So this new partner is named Zhaff and I swear I thought he was a cyborg until they explained some things in the book. He does remind me of lying cat from the Saga books. He can look at someone and saying lying, telling the truth... you know. He doesn't have humor or anything like that either.

--->EXCERPT<---

"You do have a family, right?" I finally asked.
"I have biological parents if that is what you are implying?"
"Yeah."
"I do. When my abilities were discovered, I was taken from them to be trained in seclusion.
Relationships would have been a distraction." He was being completely sincere. He stepped off the treadmill and dropped into push-ups. His elbows bent to perfect ninety-degree angles.
"Tell me about it. So what are these abilities? If we're going to be working together, I'd rather know something about the man who has my back other than the fact that you're a complete pain in my ass."
"Much of that information is classified."

We hear that a lot from Khaff, everything is classified which earns the eye roll from Malcolm.

I think it's totally cool that they have all of this interaction with the planets and moons and stuff. Even if I might not understand what's going on at all times, it's just awesome.

The reason people live on all of these places is because on Sept. 3, 2034, a meteorite hit Earth and killed billions of people. Therefore, many are spread out in different places as well as Earth. And Luna (our moon) has the largest ship-manufacturing plant in the entire solar system.

Penvernio Corp harvests vital gases on Mars from Saturn if I got that right. And their competitors Venta Co and they mentioned Red Wing Company are trying to say that Jupiter can harvest gases just as good.

There is a lot of fighting, politicking, and wow moments in the book. I really enjoyed it even if my little brain confused a few things!

*I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1650375425

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

 https://www.amazon.com/Titanborn-Rhett-C-Bruno-ebook/dp/B018CHA2RI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464458534&sr=1-1&keywords=titanborn+in+books

Phantasma by Efthalia

Carissa Alkippes is the daughter of a god but she doesn't know it. As a cop she's seen her fair share of bad but nothing prepared her for the horror of the world she has been plunged into.

Xen Lyson is the head of the Phi Athanatoi, a group of immortals who have been protecting man for over 2,000 years from the Kakodiamones--demons who want nothing more than to feast on humanity.

Thrown face to face with Xen during a skirmish with the demons, Carissa becomes a pawn in the deadly game of a demi-god who seeks godly powers. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 

OMG! I had no idea I was going to love this book so much! I love when I just stumble into one and love it!

Carissa is a cop and she has a lot of spunk. She doesn't take no lip from anyone. Then she runs into a demon......

--->EXCERPT<---

She continued with small steps toward the middle of the warehouse. Movement to her right caught her eye. Surprise punched her lungs and spread down her abdomen. A monstrous shape materialized from the darkened depths. Dark crimson skin covered exposed muscle on his body and bare head. He snarled showing off his chalky razor sharp teeth. It wasn't the dental work, pointy ears and pig-like nose that set her on edge. No. The reptilian yellow eyes were what ignited her grey matter to the fact he wasn't human. Fear used its way back up to her heart, sending it into a wild gallop.

And thus the story begins as Carissa and her partner are in a warehouse checking on a lead that they really shouldn't have been there for. Then suddenly there are wolves and one of the most handsome men that you have ever seen cutting down demons. But wait, you have seen him... in your dreams.



This vampire is Xen Lyson and the leader of the Phi Athanotoi, an ancient specialist group of vampires and werewolves sworn to protect humans. But there is also Kane the werewolf and Xen's right hand man. There are many more of them of course.

Xen tries to put the mind hypno on Carissa and she shuts him down. She doesn't remember everything but there is something there. She finally gets with Xen through the aide of a family member which was very funny to say the least. There are actually a lot of funny lines in the book, they were awesome.

There are several sexy scenes in the book with Xen and Carissa and graphically good so you might not want to let your young kids read this book. Also there is a good bit cussing but it's in greek. Too cool! I think I might have to say gamato a lot instead of the word it stands for which would be f*ck. The author has a list of words used in the back of the book which is very helpful or I would have been lost!



There are a lot of fight scenes in the book as this evil dude kidnaps Carissa and wants to use her for bad things. He seems to keep getting his hands on her, but it doesn't last. He also has opened a portal and they are always fighting the demons he has let out.

But in the end, after all of the people/demons are taken out for now... Carissa asks her father who is a god to teach her to unleash her abilities to the fullest and teach her. This should be awesome for the next book.

I'm not going to say who her father is but I will leave a picture as a hint. I can't help myself. He's bad @ssed!



*I would like to thank Smith Publicity for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1650400462

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Phantasma-Efthalia-ebook/dp/B01E1HQ6PU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464367651&sr=1-1&keywords=phantasma+in+books

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.

In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.

When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.

As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding...@goodreads

MY REVIEW:

 5 STARS 

This book was my kindle first May pick and it's very disturbing. *TRIGGER WARNING: RAPE*



--->EXCERPT<---

In terror she spoke, letting sink her wings till they trialed in the dust--in agony sobbed, letting sink her plumes till they trailed in the dust--till they sorrowfully trailed in the dust.

But my wings couldn't move and I couldn't fly, and I couldn't even cry.
All that was left to me was the terror and the agony and the sorrow.

This story is about an evil man only known as the Gardener. He has a beautiful garden with a water fall and creek and flowers and butterflies. But he also has other butterflies and they are HIS girls. The girls he takes, preferably at the age of sixteen so he can keep them until their twenty-first birthday when he can preserve them FOREVER. At least for the girls that live that long.

He tattoo's intricate butterfly wings on their back and has them wear dresses without the back so he can always see the wings. He is a very different kind of captor, he rapes them and treats them all kindly until he preserves them. It is the strangest book I have ever read about a captor/prisoner situation. That is the reason I gave it 5 stars. This is a book unlike any I have ever read. I have to be careful at reading books about rape. I usually skim over parts if they are too much. In this case the too much comes with the after descriptions and that is performed by the Gardener's evil son Avery. The Gardener punishes Avery when he hurts a girl too badly or kills her. He banishes him for some time but not forever. I would think he would keep him out of his garden forever.



The main character of the story is Maya. She is telling the story of the girls lives to them after the accident saved some of their lives. It's very macabre and sad. I think this author did a great job at writing a book like I have never read before.

Although there is some vindication at the end I wish there was more. I would recommend this book to people that like psychological thrillers because it is just messed up.


I love butterflies, but I will look at them a little differently now. 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1649020365

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Garden-Dot-Hutchison-ebook/dp/B016ZNRC0Q?ie=UTF8&qid=1464356097&ref_=tmm_kin_swatch_0&sr=8-1

A Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin

In this eagerly awaited sequel to A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin has created a work of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination. A Clash of Kings transports us to a world of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare unlike any you have ever experienced.

A comet the colour of blood and flame cuts across the sky. And from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk at night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment—a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

MY REVIEW:

 4 STARS 

I freaking finished it! I have to admit I have watched, well own the boxsets, of all the shows up to the current one. I can't watch is because I don't have HBO! But I digress. There really isn't much more that I can say that hasn't already been said etc and so on. I will just add a few excerpts and some pictures and some thoughts. That stuff.

I love Jon Snow It seems like he didn't have much in the book. A few of the characters I love didn't have a lot of stuff going on in this book. But they will be back.


--->EXCERPT<---

The Dothraki named the comet shierak qiya, the Bleeding Star. The old men muttered that it omened ill, but Daenerys Targaryen had seen it first on the night she burned Khal Drogo, the night her dragons had awakened. It is the herald of my coming, she told herself as she gazed up into the night sky with wonder in her heart. The gods have sent it to show me the way.



I love Daenerys.

--->EXCERPT<---

Arya looked down at her ragged clothes and bare feet, all cracked and callused. She saw the dirt under her nails, the scabs on her elbows, the scratches on her hands. Septa Mordane wouldn't even know me. I bet Sansa might, but she'd pretend not to. "My mother's a lady, and my sister, but I never was."
"Yes, you were. You were a lord's daughter and you lived in a castle, didn't you? And you. . . gods be good, I never. . ." All of the sudden Gendry seemed uncertain, almost afraid. "All that about cocks, I never should have said that. And I been pissing in front of you and everything, I. . .I beg your pardon, m'Lady."





I love Arya :-)

There really is no point in loving anyone in these books or shows because they all die!

I found a lot of the book boring and drawn out. I guess when it's not about the people you really like it's sort of... yawn.

I loved how most of the book was about Tyrion. Or it seemed that way to me. I Love Tyrion.



Because Tyrion is too cool.



and he does this ↓



And Brienne finally arrives on the scene. I love her too :-)



and Bran



to all of you I have loved before and still love, you will all die and I will miss you and I will hate that episode and so forth and so on!



and stop killing my damn wolves! 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1437934953

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Clash-Kings-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553579908?ie=UTF8&keywords=a%20clash%20of%20kings&qid=1464299274&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Frayed by Kara Terzis

Dear Kesley,

My therapist tells me I should write you a letter. Like flushing all my thoughts and feelings out of my system and onto paper. I tell her it's a stupid idea.

But here I am, writing a letter to a dead girl. Where do I start? Where did our story begin? From the moment you were born...or died?

I'll start with the moment I found out the truth about you. Your lies and my pain. Because it always begins and ends with you.
And that end began when Rafe Lawrence came back to town...

Ava Hale will do anything to find her sister's killer...although she'll wish she hadn't. Because the harder Ava looks, the more secrets she uncovers about Kesley, and the more she begins to think that the girl she called sister was a liar. A sneak. A stranger.

And Kesley's murderer could be much closer than she thought...

A debut novel from Wattpad award-winner Kara Terzis, Frayed is a psychological whodunit that will keep you guessing! @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 

--->EXCERPT<---

So now, for me, memories are as precious as gold. Memories like the ones we shared every summer, after the school year finished, and we'd pack our bags, shove them in the back of Mom's SUV, and make the trip to Yoho National Park. Our favorite place to go camping was Lake O'Hara. Remember that time when we sat around the fire while we roasted marshmallows? You said you loved that place because of the calm, peaceful lake, the way the breeze whispered in the trees, the way we could count the stars in the sky.
You told me the lake was beautiful beyond measure.
And if you'd told me that night, Kesley, that something as awful as your death would happen in a place so beautiful, I would have believed you. Because who would have guessed the place you loved so much would be your downfall...

Ava's sister Kesley was murdered. They haven't found her killer. No one has any idea why someone would want to kill her. She was a great person. Ava and Kesley were taken in when they were young by a foster family that adopted them after their parents died. There are secrets there. Terrible secrets.

Kesley's best friend Rafe wasn't there for her funeral, but he is back in town. Why wasn't he there? Could he have killed his best friend. He has known the girls since they were all little kids. But he's the bad boy. Or is he? How bad can he be? Ava wants to stay away from him but she can't help herself. She likes him, a lot.



Ava also has a boyfriend named Jackson who is actually a douche bag. Ava finds out some stuff about him and stays away. But then again... Ava finds out things about her sister she can't hardly believe and then every thing starts to unravel.


The more Ava finds out about Kesley the more she is appalled that she doesn't even know who her sister really was any more. Ava also finds some friends she had no idea Kesley had and they all plan on looking for Kesley's killer. And what they find is not what I was thinking at all and it freaked Ava out as well.

I loved this book. It was so different. There are a few things that people can probably pick at but for myself I thought it was great. The ending was freaking awesome. Well, not so much for the characters in the book.

*I would like to thank Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1647770261

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Frayed-Kara-Terzis/dp/1492631736?ie=UTF8&keywords=frayed%20by%20kara%20terzis&qid=1464222881&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1