Book Review: Wings of Flesh and Bones ~ Cathrina Constantine

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Title: Wings of Flesh and Bones
Author: Cathrina Constantine
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, YA
Publisher: CHBB Publishing
Date of Release: April 8, 2018
Pages: 384
Format: Kindle (Author via AXP)

This is a story I am on the fence about. I enjoy the concept with great writing, but it kind of feels incomplete. The world building wasn’t as complete as I thought it would be, given the plot. The characters were your standard YA characters, which is fine. They make you love them, get frustrated with them, and adore them. I think what made it feel incomplete for me was the lack of information about magic, and how it works. Does magic work the same in this story as it does in other stories? What’s different? I found Rogan to not really be to my liking. She was a frustrating character, as she didn’t like to follow rules or listen to advice.

The alternate views felt a little disjointed. It didn’t quite flow very well for me. There were so many elements to this story that it can be quite hard to keep up. There were a few instances I had to re-read a section because I lost track of what was happening. The story was information heavy and full of magic, which leads me to believe this was setting up book (and I do hope there is a book 2!)

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Bargain Thursday: Secret Promises ~ Jane Anthony

Title: Secret Promises (Off Limits Duets, Book 1)
Author: Jane Anthony
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Release: April 28, 2016
Pages: 214

¸¸.•¨•★ Free! ★•¨•.¸¸

Secret Promises, book 1 in the Off Limits Duet is now FREE on ALL PLATFORMS!

👉https://books2read.com/SecretPromises

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Life is all work and no play…until a vintage Mustang rumbles into the lot of our family’s restoration business.

Hoping for an oil change and a trip down memory lane, Jameson Tate drives back into our lives after five long years. Even though a lot has changed, two things that haven’t — the way I burn for him and my overprotective brother’s warning that I’m off limits.

Sparks fly when he finally sees me as more than his best friend’s kid sister. Passions ignite, risks are taken, and bitter betrayals flare. Either our love will survive the secrets we keep or the promises we made will crash and burn.

*Price subject to change

Book Review: A Million Junes ~ Emily Henry

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Title: A Million Junes
Author: Emily Henry
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Magical Realism, YA
Publisher: Razorbill
Date of Release: May 16, 2017
Pages: 350
Format: Kindle (First to Read)

This is a modern rendition of Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Do you believe what happens in the past can and will effect your future? What if what happened was generations before you were born? What if a misunderstand stood in your way of happiness, and it was a misunderstanding before you or your parents existed? This is what Jack (June) and Saul are facing, and they decide to face it head on!

This story requires you to use a bit of imagination. There’s a hint of magical realism, which is beautifully executed. Each character served a purpose, even if you didn’t understand what their purpose was in that exact moment. This story is witty, whimsical, and fun. The writing is superb in a way the author creates such a spellbinding world, characters, story, and you can’t help but to get caught up in the whirlwind that is Jack and Saul.

I will be completely honest with you, this book won’t be everyone’s cup of tea… and that’s okay! Read this book with an open mind and a bit of imagination, and you’ll love this book as much as I do. I thought this was absolutely fantastic.

Book Review: Out, Proud, and Prejudice ~ Megan Reddaway

 

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Title: Out, Proud, and Prejudice
Author: Megan Reddaway
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Fiction, LGBTQIA, Romance
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Date of Release: June 4, 2018
Pages: 270
Format: Kindle (NetGalley)

Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite classics. When I found out there was a male coupling, I immediately grabbed it! I will admit, one half of me grabbed this book because I knew it wouldn’t compare and I wanted to see what the differences were, aside from the obvious differences. The other half of me grabbed this book because it’s based on a classic, and you can’t go wrong with classics. The characters were well executed, and it was clever how the author made the story modern. The pacing was a bit slow for me. It felt like I had to get too far into the book for me to remotely connected to the story. However, once you’re hooked… you’re hooked.

You do feel the same amount of angst in this version as you do in the original, but not the same wit. I can’t speak for others, but I thought the character of Charlotte to be quite despicable. For her to be the best friend, she didn’t have any redeeming qualities. Bennet (Elizabeth), Darius (Mr. Darcy), Jaime (Jane), and Tim (Mr. Bingley) were wonderfully crafted to fit this modern version.

Modernizing a classic is no small feat. I can say, Ms. Megan Reddaway was up to the challenge.

Book Review: Hidden ~ Victoria DeLuis

 

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Title: Hidden (Rune Witch Mysteries: Book 2)
Author: Victoria DeLuis
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Paranormal, Urban
Publisher: Unknown
Date of Release: December 21, 2017
Pages: 146
Format: Kindle (Author)

I adore Victoria DeLuis. This was a good continuation from the first book, Taken. Summer and Thomas are taking a lovely stroll through the forest, next to their beautiful cottage. It couldn’t be more romantic… well, actually it could. During their romantic stroll, they come across a dead body. While they aren’t responsible, they do feel a sense of obligation to help find out what happened. Can Summer and Thomas find out what happened to the young man, without becoming a pawn in a game that seems impossible to win? Can Summer and Thomas solve the mystery that is Summer’s familial curse before it’s too late?

It was great catching up with Summer and Thomas! Seeing them fall more and more in love with each other… sigh. With a curse looming over Summer’s head, she’s strong enough to set that aside and give a mother closure. This book was slightly longer than the first book, but it didn’t feel like it. The story is well told and the main characters are easy to get attached to. And, we get a surprise visit. Will it be the answer to all of Summer’s questions? Stay tuned to find out! I know I intend to!

Book Review: Storm Crazy ~ Livia Quinn

 

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Title: Storm Crazy (Destiny Paramortals: Book 1)
Author: Livia Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Campbell Hill Publishing
Date of Release: June 14, 2014
Pages: 334
Format: Kindle (Livia Quinn via AXP)

Just when Sheriff Jack Lang thought he found some normalcy, he gets a welcome to Destiny, Louisiana with a murder… and mail woman, Tempe, who seems to always be in the middle of everything. So not only do we have a murder to solve, but her brother, River, is also missing. There is an instant chemistry between Tempe and Jack. You are rooting for them to get together and be happy.

The writing is great and engaging. You find yourself feeling what Tempe feels and feeling as frustrated as Jack at every turn. You find you have more questions than answers with a few chapters left for this to be wrapped up with a not-so-pretty bow (this is a series for crying out loud!)… and dun, dun, dun… cliffhanger! Will Tempe and Jack finally get together? We must stay tuned! What I did enjoy were the dual POVs, although I wasn’t a fan of Dylan getting a chapter. I also loved this taking place in Louisiana. I thought it was the perfect setting for this genre. I enjoyed this story, but it left a lot of unanswered questions. However, it is noted on the Amazon page for this book… “These are not a stand-alones…”, but I will be staying tuned! This is a good start to a series.

Book Review: Bloodline Origins ~ Iuliana Foos

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Title: Bloodline Origins (Book 1)
Author: Iuliana Foos
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, LLC
Date of Release: April 11, 2018
Pages: 325
Format: PDF (Author)

Ever felt like you’re going through life without fitting in… anywhere? Not with friends, family, co-workers… there’s something different about you, and you just can’t put your finger on it… until one day you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ana meets a group of vampires and finds that one place she has always wanted to be is where she belongs. Unfortunately, she slips away from a very angry vampire but gains a gentle, but powerful vampire. She meets Andree and gets to join their coven. I was given the opportunity to follow Ana’s and Andree’s journey of falling in love and facing their biggest threat. Will they find the love they have been searching for?

This is a really good start to a series. The characters were strong and well written. I immediately fell in love with Andree. The story is funny and the secondary characters are just as awesome as the main characters. Foos tells a story in a way that pulls at your heartstrings and laugh within the same scene. It also ends in a way that leaves you wanting more. There’s no cliffhanger, but you will want to know what happens next. I, for one, cannot wait!