Review: Return (Lady of Toryn #1) by Charity Santiago

Return 

Lady of Toryn #1

by Charity Santiago

YA Fantasy

Published May 2011

Synopsis via Goodreads:

For the last three years, eighteen-year-old Ashlyn Li has been running from her destiny. A free-spirited ninja, Ashlyn would rather loot an abandoned city or challenge a fiend to battle than assume leadership of Toryn, her father's kingdom. However, when a series of attacks reunite Ashlyn with the friends who helped her save the sun three years ago, she discovers that her kingdom is at war and her father has presumed her dead.

Suddenly Ashlyn is faced with not only fulfilling her birthright, but also making sense of her feelings towards two very different men- Drake Lockhart, the enigmatic vampire who captured her heart three years ago, and Vargo, the charismatic assassin who was once Ashlyn's sworn enemy.

Will Ashlyn ascend the pagoda and become Lady of Toryn?

Don't miss the exciting first installment in the Lady of Toryn trilogy, which also includes Regret (book 2), and Redemption (book 3), both available on Amazon Kindle now.

Grab Your Copy of Books 1, 2 & 3:

About the Author per her Goodreads Profile:

I'm Charity, and I am a book addict. There, I've said it. No denial here.

I would say I love reading and writing, but that's not quite accurate- I live reading and writing. I write every day, and I devour books like there's no tomorrow. Since my husband gave me a Kindle for Christmas in 2010, I have been ecstatic about the easy access to ebooks. I now read all my ebooks on the Kindle app on my iPad.

The books I have written include "A Carol for Ben," a contemporary holiday romance, and the YA fantasy "Lady of Toryn" trilogy, which consists of "Return," "Regret," and "Redemption." All books are available exclusively for Amazon Kindle.

I am currently working on "Blood Lust," the first installment in a sexy new paranormal romance series.

Connect with Charity:

Goodreads    Twitter    Blog

My Review:

I'm not sure where to go with my review of Return. I liked it, but then it wasn't for me... but I liked it... LoL Kinda contradicting myself right? I think I'm realizing that the older I get, the less I enjoy full on fantasy novels. I love the world that the authors create but my mind is scattered in so many different directions, that I find them harder to read lately because, as a reader, I paint the whole picture in my mind. It's getting a little exhausting LoL Yea yea, no old jokes okay. I'm not THAT old. >_<

Return is the first book I've read that's been full of ninja action so that was neat. I learned a few new words/terms and seriously dreamed about kicking butt one night. Ha.I loved all of the action that was packed into this novel. It's one thing after another.

Starting off, you're thrown right into it. I was a tad confused in the beginning - had to step back and say "wait, huh?" but the more I read, the more I caught on.The lead female character, Ashlyn, has been gone for three years and has missed quite a bit it seems. I liked the way that the author kinda threw in background blips here and there - that helped me understand everything better.

There are so many characters that I had a little trouble keeping up with who was who for a long time. However, I liked the characters. A few of them are very well defined, but then there's those that you really don't get a good feel for.

I enjoyed Charity's writing style. It flowed well for me while I was reading so it actually made the reading go by at a steady pace. Each time I put it down, I'd pick it back up and be thrown right back into the action. I loved that.

Action packed, lots of unexpected twists (gotta give it Charity on that one - great job), and a little romance.

Overall, a good read & good start to a series.

Overall Rating: a solid 3 stars
Cover Rating: 3 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Climax: 3.5 stars
Ending: 3.5 Stars

Review: The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton

The Forever Girl

(Forever Girl #1)

by Rebecca Hamilton

New Adult Paranormal

*Ebook obtained for review as part of a blog tour*

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Whatever you do, fight.

Sophia’s family has skeletons, but they aren’t in their graves.

At twenty-two, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown, a pariah after a string of unsolved murders with only one thing in common: her.

Sophia can imagine lots of ways to improve her life, but she’d settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. When the spell she casts goes wrong, the static turns into voices. Her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.

One of them is a man named Charles, who Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that might help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor’s hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him.

Survival in his world, she learns, means not asking questions and staying out of the immortal council’s way. It’s a line she crossed long ago. If Sophia wants to survive the council and save the people she loves, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.

 Forever Girl will appeal to lovers of paranormal fantasy, mystery, romance, and horror.

Grab Your Copy:

Barnes & Noble 

About the Author:

Rebecca Hamilton writes Paranormal Fantasy, Horror, and Literary Fiction. She lives in Florida with her husband and three kids, along with multiple writing personalities that range from morbid to literary. She enjoys dancing with her kids to television show theme songs and would love the beach if it weren’t for the sand. Having a child diagnosed with autism has inspired her to illuminate the world through the eyes of characters who see things differently. To learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder, please visit: http://www.autisticadvocacy.org

Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads

My Review:

Okay... where to begin....

Overall, this was a good read. I had a hard time getting through this read though if I'm being honest. It took me longer to read this book than it has any one book in the last year. Why was that? Overall, I'm not sure but there were a few things that bugged me. I didn't get as emotionally invested in the characters' well-being... or relationship for that matter.  There's also SOOOOO many things going on in this novel that it's hard to keep it all straight. It's an entire new world - reinventing the wheel completely. I don't have a problem with that at all when it comes to novels because I adore creativity - love when author's come up with completely original ideas. However, there's soooo many things that are reinvented that it gets a little difficult to keep up. At least, for me it was. Not everyone will have this problem. I adore vamp stories and have read so many through the years with the same basic fundamentals - maybe that's why it was harder for me to hang onto all of the new things being thrown at me during this novel.

Rebecca is a complete genius when it comes to the occult/witchcraft fundamentals. I've not read many occult novels in the past because the few I did read made wiccans seems horrible - definitely not the case in this novel. I loved that aspect - it's not something I know a lot about so I love learning new things & experiencing it with the characters.

The characters were great! I adored each character and was able to relate with the lead female - Sophia - especially when it came to over thinking things. Ivory & Charles were also great characters that I loved reading about. My only complaint was that I really didn't get emotionally invested in the characters at all. I'm not sure why? It seemed like everything was there - the relationship between Ivory & Sophia, the relationship with Charles... I guess I was too busy trying to keep up with everything else going on in the story that I didn't zone in on the character's relationships.

The plot was great - even though it took me forever to get through this novel. I did have a tough time with the actual timing of things. Several months were skipped in certain parts and it left me feeling like I had missed 20 episodes of my favorite tv show or something... it was strange, as a reader, to imagine what happened in the several months that are lapsed.

Overall - I definitely give this book a solid 3.5 Stars

Cover Rating - 3 Stars - The cover is great but in the book, Charles comments on Sophia "not looking like a Wiccan" because he pictures them as goth - noting Sophia doesn't dress Gothic. The cover image, to me, reflects the Gothic style?

Characters: 4 Stars

Plot: 3.5 Stars

Climax: 3 Stars

Ending: 3.5 Stars



DAC Review: Hooked by Liz Fichera

Hooked

(Hooked #1)

by Liz Fichera

YA Contemporary Romance

Published January 29, 2013 by Harlequin Teen

*Self-Purchased Ebook*

DAC 2013

Synopsis via Goodreads:

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED

Grab Your Copy:

 

About the Author:
Liz is an author living in the American Southwest by way of Chicago. Her YA debut HOOKED released in January 2013 from HarlequinTEEN. Its companion, PLAYED, releases in 2014.

Connect with the Author: Facebook     Goodreads    Website     Twitter



My Review:



I really wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up Hooked. I'm not a big fan of golf.... so I thought I would be bored out of my mind honestly... I was thinking to myself "how in the world will the author make this interesting?"

Well, she did it!

I adored this novel. It's a beautiful tale of personal growth and overcoming prejudice. The characters are great, the plot has an easy flow & movement, the attachment to the main characters was strong, and overall, it was a great read. 

Fred, a Native American girl who lives on the local Reservation, is a great golf player. Her family life is a constant struggle because her mother has become attached to a beer can and is the exact opposite of an encouraging parent. I feel bad for Fred :( 


She gains the attention of the High School Golf Coach and he basically begs her to play on the all boys team (there isn't a girls team at the school). With dreams of going to college, despite her mom's constant statement that she'll be working at the local restaurant the rest of her life, she decides to play. Her dad is absolutely precious. I adore his character & wanted to give him a hug all throughout the book because he's an amazing man. 


Ahhh, to say that the boys on the golf team were less than welcoming is an understatement. Of course, one guy gets cut so she can have a place on the team, so you can imagine the drama that comes from it. I thought that once they saw that she was a great player, they'd warm up to her, but it wasn't so easy. 


Fred ends up paired with Ryan, who she happened to dump an entire plate of cake on at the local restaurant one day, and FINALLY he starts to acknowledge the fact that she exists. Ryan struggles to accept her on the team because it was his best friend that gets cut. 


I really liked Ryan's character (even though he has his douchey moments) because you start to see him evolving and growing as a person. He begins to see that his friends aren't as great as they once were. They're bitter, stuck up, and hateful. 


Watching Ryan evolve into a better person & watching Fred struggle to keep her game face on despite the ugly looks and comments makes this novel a great read. 

There's a few nail biting moments that help keep the pace up tempo and the plot moving. There's also several Native American words and glimpses into their customs that are great. I learned several new words and also a new insight into their cultures.


Overall, I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the companion novel once it's released. 


Overall rating: 4 Stars
Cover Rating: 4 Stars 
Characters: 5 Stars
Plot: 5 Stars
Climax: 4 Stars
Ending: 5 Stars

Review: Guardians of the Grimoire by Natasha Slight

Guardians of the Grimoire

by Natasha Slight

YA Fantasy

Original Publication Date: 11/28/2011

Kindle Edition: 387 Pages

Nook Edition: 366 Pages

 

*Ebook obtained directly from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Rumors have spread among the immortals of a book that controls all the magic in both the human and spirit worlds. So what is the Spirit Mother to do when Kaël, a corrupt spirit, attempts to steal the Grimoire from her temple?

With no other option, she instructs Gaïa, a benevolent spirit, to hide the Grimoire in the human realm and to train three young girls in becoming the new guardians. Kerani, Tiluvia, and Cesca are awakened to their destinies, and thrust into a perilous journey as they race to Gaïa’s island. Accompanied by the Kal’rana sisters, the girls discover the magic that lies dormant within them. But fate plays a cruel twist on them, as their magical abilities are unleashed before they are ready, and disastrous consequences follow suit.

In a land shrouded in magic, and filled with as many friends as there are foes, will the girls be able to fulfill their destinies? Or will the balance of magic be thrown into chaos?
 

Get Your Copy:

 

 

Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

NATASHA SLIGHT has been an avid reader and collector of books for many years. As a stay-at-home mom she one day set out to write a story her children could read. The result of that trial is her debut novel GUARDIANS OF THE GRIMOIRE. Armed with a quirky sense of humor, Natasha writes to inspire, tap into the mind, and unleash the imagination within.

A seasoned traveler, Natasha is always attempting to learn new languages and discover various cultures. She grew up in a bilingual home where she spoke something called Frenglish, which made switching between French and English the norm. In high school, Natasha attempted Mandarin and still remembers a few lines her teacher taught her. College was where she tackled Spanish. In her early twenties, Natasha lived in Haiti for two years where she learned Creole and was made fun of for her accent. In 1999, she moved to Puerto Rico where her backyard was the sandy beaches of Old San Juan. This was followed by fourteen months in Jamaica and a short trip to the Cayman Islands. In 2007, she spent a memorable summer in Aachen, Germany where she learned a little German. Her weekends were filled with visits to nearby cities and countries. Paris (France), Maastricht (Netherlands), and every single castle that can be found along the Rhine River (Germany) are just a few of the places she visited. 2012 was the year her dream came true. After spending a blissful week in Provence (South of France), Natasha was able to discover the beautiful countryside, friendly people, and wonderful food.

Today, she lives in Montreal with her husband and two daughters, where she dreams of her next trip.

Connect with Natasha:

Goodreads     Facebook    Twitter    Blog

My Review:

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started this novel. The synopsis caught my attention so I was intrigued but really wasn't sure how it would play out. At first, there's so many characters being introduced that's it very difficult to keep everyone straight. It took a while before I could honesty tell who was who. Now, looking back, I still have a little trouble telling a few of the less important characters apart. It may be in part because they're names are very usual - very creative but unusual. I loved some names but really didn't like others. That was mainly because I had a hard time reading them in my head - it was like I would have to pause and work my way through their name one more time. LoL That just goes to prove the creativity is amazing! This novel is brilliantly creative & really introduces you to a whole new world. It reminded me of King Arthur's time (knights, castles, bows & arrows, mysterious treasures, wizards, etc.) meets Alice in Wonderland. Ha. That's really the best way I can think to put it. The story is constantly moving. You bounce from one perspective to another constantly. At first, I thought I would get tired of it because I was having trouble keeping track of who was who but eventually, I didn't mind it at all. I started wondering what the other characters were doing when the focus wasn't on them at the moment. Overall, I enjoyed it & will look forward to reading book 2.

Overall Rating: 3.8 Stars

 

Cover Rating: 3 Stars

Characters: 4 Stars

Plot: 3.5 Stars

Climax: 4 Stars