The Turn (The Hollows 0.1)
Kim Harrison returns to her beloved Hollows series with The Turn, the official prequel to the series that will introduce fans and readers to a whole new side of Rachel Morgan's world as they've never seen it before!
Can science save us when all else fails?
Trisk and her hated rival, Kalamack, have the same goal: save their species from extinction.
Death comes in the guise of hope when a genetically modified tomato created to feed the world combines with the government's new tactical virus, giving it an unexpected host and a mode of transport. Plague takes the world, giving the paranormal species an uncomfortable choice to stay hidden and allow humanity to die, or to show themselves in a bid to save them.
Under accusations of scientific misconduct, Trisk and Kal flee across a plague torn United States to convince leaders of the major paranormal species to save their supposedly weaker kin, but not everyone thinks humanity should be saved.
Kal surreptitiously works against her as Trisk fights the prejudices of two societies to prove that not only does humanity have something to offer, but that long-accepted beliefs against women, dark magic, and humanity itself can turn to understanding; that when people are at their worst that the best show their true strength, and that love can hold the world together as a new balance is found.
Can science save us when all else fails?
Trisk and her hated rival, Kalamack, have the same goal: save their species from extinction.
Death comes in the guise of hope when a genetically modified tomato created to feed the world combines with the government's new tactical virus, giving it an unexpected host and a mode of transport. Plague takes the world, giving the paranormal species an uncomfortable choice to stay hidden and allow humanity to die, or to show themselves in a bid to save them.
Under accusations of scientific misconduct, Trisk and Kal flee across a plague torn United States to convince leaders of the major paranormal species to save their supposedly weaker kin, but not everyone thinks humanity should be saved.
Kal surreptitiously works against her as Trisk fights the prejudices of two societies to prove that not only does humanity have something to offer, but that long-accepted beliefs against women, dark magic, and humanity itself can turn to understanding; that when people are at their worst that the best show their true strength, and that love can hold the world together as a new balance is found.
What I thought:
I love this world. Kim Harrison is an amazing author. This book stands on its own, but for Hollows' fans it's a peek into the past. And the story... I love that the story doesn't pull punches. It's a fairy tale before fairy tales became fluff and happily ever afters. Oh, and there's Al. Yep. *nods*
I adore this entire series, but Al might be my favorite part. If you're new to this series, I highly recommend it. If you're already a fan, then you need this book!
I need more Hollows. Please let there be more Hollows...
I adore this entire series, but Al might be my favorite part. If you're new to this series, I highly recommend it. If you're already a fan, then you need this book!
I need more Hollows. Please let there be more Hollows...
Rating: ***** 5 stars
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. But, seriously, I'd already pre-ordered it so I'm not sure that matters.
Year of No Clutter
Eve has a problem with clutter. Too much stuff and too easily acquired, it confronts her in every corner and on every surface in her house. When she pledges to tackle the worst offender, her horror of a "Hell Room," she anticipates finally being able to throw away all of the unnecessary things she can't bring herself to part with: her fifth-grade report card, dried-up art supplies, an old vinyl raincoat.
But what Eve discovers isn't just old CDs and outdated clothing, but a fierce desire within herself to hold on to her identity. Our things represent our memories, our history, a million tiny reference points in our lives. If we throw our stuff in the trash, where does that leave us? And if we don't...how do we know what's really important?
Everyone has their own Hell Room, and Eve's battle with her clutter, along with her eventual self-clarity, encourages everyone to dig into their past to declutter their future. Year of No Clutter is a deeply inspiring--and frequently hilarious -- examination of why we keep stuff in the first place, and how to let it all go.
But what Eve discovers isn't just old CDs and outdated clothing, but a fierce desire within herself to hold on to her identity. Our things represent our memories, our history, a million tiny reference points in our lives. If we throw our stuff in the trash, where does that leave us? And if we don't...how do we know what's really important?
Everyone has their own Hell Room, and Eve's battle with her clutter, along with her eventual self-clarity, encourages everyone to dig into their past to declutter their future. Year of No Clutter is a deeply inspiring--and frequently hilarious -- examination of why we keep stuff in the first place, and how to let it all go.
What I thought:
| I really enjoyed Eve's story. Plenty of chuckles, a few laugh-out-loud moments, and a lot I could relate to. Recommend for those of us with too much stuff. |
Rating: 4.5 stars ****
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bitter Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #4)
FBI agent Matthew Roarke has been on leave, and in seclusion, since the capture of mass killer Cara Lindstrom—the victim turned avenger who preys on predators. Torn between devotion to the law and a powerful attraction to Cara and her lethal brand of justice, Roarke has retreated from both to search his soul. But Cara’s escape from custody and a police detective’s cryptic challenge soon draw him out of exile—into the California desert and deep into Cara’s past—to probe an unsolved murder that could be the key to her long and deadly career.Following young Cara’s trail, Roarke uncovers a horrifying attack on a schoolgirl, the shocking suicide of another, and a human monster stalking Cara’s old high school. Separated by sixteen years, crossing paths in the present and past, Roarke and fourteen-year-old Cara must race to find and stop the sadistic sexual predator before more young women are brutalized.
What I thought:
I love this series, but I think this one might be my favorite. From a technical standpoint, it's flawless. Exactly the right way to tell a story. And the story... so gripping. I loved seeing a younger Cara--seeing where it all started. And the dual timelines were handled wonderfully. I highly recommend this series.
Rating: 5 stars *****
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Golden
Deviating from traditional tales that feature lonely vampires who prowl through human society in search of victims or solace, this account of vampires flourishing in their own "inhuman society" takes place in the year 1860, when their centuries-long breeding experiments have finally produced "The Golden," a mortal whose blood is perfect and powerful. Mobilized by the news of this discovery, aristocratic vampire clans arrive at the looming Castle Banat, where they plan to partake of the sublime blood. To their shock, the guests find that The Golden, a young girl, has been brutally murdered and her blood already drained. The story also follows the Inspector Michael Beheim—a recent vampire—assigned to track down the killer. Recounted in full 19th-century literary style with gothic elements and foreshadowing, the inspector navigates his way through the vampire world and the crime therein.
What I thought:
While I liked some elements here, I think the author tried to do too much... and it ended up being too much. Some beautiful language, but the plot gets buried under the imagery. The print is tiny and there are paragraphs that take up whole pages. Hardcore vampire fans, try it. Everyone else, meh.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1)
Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.
A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.
Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?
A boy dreams of revolution.
Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.
And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.
He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?
A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.
Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?
A boy dreams of revolution.
Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.
And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.
He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?
What I thought:
Great start to a new series. New and interesting world. Smart, strong, independent characters to root for.
Lots of POV characters, but the shifting POVs gave this a quick pace and made it a fast read.
There were a few things that were supposed to be surprises that I'd already figured out, but I loved the ending. Overall, I'm intrigued and can't wait for the next book in this series.
Lots of POV characters, but the shifting POVs gave this a quick pace and made it a fast read.
There were a few things that were supposed to be surprises that I'd already figured out, but I loved the ending. Overall, I'm intrigued and can't wait for the next book in this series.
Rating: 4.5 stars
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Feversong (Fever #9)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning returns with the epic conclusion to her pulse-pounding Fever series, where a world thrown into chaos grows more treacherous at every turn. As Mac, Barrons, Ryodan, and Jada struggle to restore control, enemies become allies, right and wrong cease to exist, and the lines between life and death, lust and love, disappear completely.
Black holes loom menacingly over Dublin, threatening to destroy the Earth. Yet the greatest danger is the one MacKayla Lane has unleashed from within: the Sinsar Dubh—a sentient book of unthinkable evil—has possessed her body and will stop at nothing in its insatiable quest for power.
The fate of Man and Fae rests on destroying the book and recovering the long-lost Song of Making, the sole magic that can repair the fragile fabric of the Earth. But to achieve these aims, sidhe-seers, the Nine, Seelie, and Unseelie must form unlikely alliances and make heart-wrenching choices. For Barrons and Jada, this means finding the Seelie Queen who alone can wield the mysterious song, negotiating with a lethal Unseelie prince hell-bent on ruling the Fae courts, and figuring out how to destroy the Sinsar Dubh while keeping Mac alive.
This time, there’s no gain without sacrifice, no pursuit without risk, no victory without irrevocable loss. In the battle for Mac’s soul, every decision exacts a tremendous price.
What I thought:Black holes loom menacingly over Dublin, threatening to destroy the Earth. Yet the greatest danger is the one MacKayla Lane has unleashed from within: the Sinsar Dubh—a sentient book of unthinkable evil—has possessed her body and will stop at nothing in its insatiable quest for power.
The fate of Man and Fae rests on destroying the book and recovering the long-lost Song of Making, the sole magic that can repair the fragile fabric of the Earth. But to achieve these aims, sidhe-seers, the Nine, Seelie, and Unseelie must form unlikely alliances and make heart-wrenching choices. For Barrons and Jada, this means finding the Seelie Queen who alone can wield the mysterious song, negotiating with a lethal Unseelie prince hell-bent on ruling the Fae courts, and figuring out how to destroy the Sinsar Dubh while keeping Mac alive.
This time, there’s no gain without sacrifice, no pursuit without risk, no victory without irrevocable loss. In the battle for Mac’s soul, every decision exacts a tremendous price.
Go ahead. Judge this book by its cover. You know you want to.
The cover is gorgeous and the story is much of the same. This is the last book in this series (but not the last book in this world) and there's not much I can say without spoiling something for new readers, but I can't get enough of Mac and Barrons. I love this world and will buy everything Karen Moning writes. Ever.
I highly recommend this series. Start at the beginning with DARKFEVER but plan to miss a whole bunch of sleep. Highly addictive. You've been warned.
There's a giveaway going on on Goodreads through 2/17/17, and I've linked it below.
Goodreads Giveaway (ends 2/17/17)
Rating: 5 stars *****
Reckless Hearts (Reckless Hearts #1)
Between boot camp and two TOD’s in Iraq, my buddies Max, Gavin and me have been through some serious hell. So the last thing I ever expected was to find the biggest challenge of my life back home.My girlfriend died. I couldn’t even attend her funeral, let alone tell her goodbye or that I’m sorry I wasn’t there like I should’ve been.
But she left me a gift. The best and scariest one I could’ve ever asked for. One I didn’t think I could handle…until the day I saw her tiny blues looking up at me in that airport. Chloe.
Now here I am, raising my baby girl—with the help of my two best friends. Things couldn’t be better. Until she walked into my life.
All I wanted was a nanny. Someone to take care of my girl when I couldn’t. What I didn’t count on was Addison, the brown-eyed temptress with a body of sin, and everything I didn’t need, but suddenly wanted.
What I thought:
| I love an alpha hero. Collin is hot and sexy and... not for me. His frequent use of the word "sweetheart" was my main trigger. In and of itself, the word is harmless. However, use it as a direct address and my blood boils. Every time he called Addie sweetheart, I wanted to throat-punch him. So I'm sure 99.9% of the female population will think him sexy and charming, but I couldn't get past "sweetheart." In fact, I have a friend who will likely never call another human being sweetheart as long as he lives. Ahem. But, yeah, it's all me. I'm unequivocally biased here. Like tall, gorgeous, hot alphas with dreamy blue eyes and dimples? Like smart, sassy women? Then this story is absolutely for you. The other two hot alphas in the story show major potential, so I will definitely keep going with the series. |
Rating: *** 3 stars
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
That's all for January. What was your favorite read this month? What 2017 books are you most excited about? Drop me a comment and let me know.
As always, follow my blog for more reviews and find me on twitter @chellypike
Happy reading,
Chelly
COMING NEXT MONTH:
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