THE LOST SISTERS / PICTURE PERFECT COWBOY / TESS OF THE ROAD

The Lost Sisters

(The Folk of the Air #1.5)

by 

Holly Black

Sometimes the difference between a love story and a horror story is where the ending comes . . . 

While Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke. 

Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.

The Lost Sisters is a companion e-novella to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince by master writer Holly Black.

What I thought: 

First, if you haven't read THE CRUEL PRINCE, you must. Here is my review: THE CRUEL PRINCE 

This delightfully written novella is Taryn's story. Really just a part of it. 

I loved this story, mostly for the mastery of craft that Holly Black shows in everything she writes (or at least everything I've read so far). I want to love Taryn but I still kind of hate her. Maybe because I'm a twin and I'm bringing a whole lot of my own baggage to their relationship, but *shrugs* I'm okay with hating her. 

I will say, though, that when I got to the end of the story, I had a flicker of some other emotion for her. Not sure what it was. But I hate Locke with every fiber of my being. And I will always hate him. 

This series is amazing. Read it. That's an order. It will ruin you.    

Rating: ***** (5 brilliant stars)

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Picture Perfect Cowboy

(The Original Sinners #10)

by 

Tiffany Reisz 

Jason "Still" Waters' life looks perfect from the outside—money, fame, and the words "World Champion Bull-Rider" after his name. But Jason has a secret, one he never planned on telling anybody...until he meets Simone. She's the kinky girl of his dreams...and his conservative family's worst nightmare.

"Picture Perfect Cowboy" is a standalone erotic romance from Tiffany Reisz, set in her bestselling Original Sinners series.

What I thought: 

I really enjoyed the beginning. I love the way Tiffany Reisz creates such fleshed out, real-to-life characters. I wanted to love this story, but something was missing. 

The tension that kept me flipping pages in the beginning fizzled out. There wasn't enough conflict to keep the story moving forward and things started to feel repetitive for me. 

If you're in it for the steamy sex and the HEA, maybe this book is for you. If you're in it for the depth of story usually found in Ms. Reisz's books, maybe skip this one. 

Rating: *** (3 stars) 

*I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher. It in no way influenced my review.
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Tess of the Road

(Tess of the Road #1)

by 

Rachel Hartman 

Meet Tess, a brave new heroine from beloved epic fantasy author Rachel Hartman.

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.

Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl—a subspecies of dragon—who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.

Returning to the fascinating world she created in the award-winning and New York Times bestselling Seraphina, Rachel Hartman introduces readers to a new character and a new quest, pushing the boundaries of genre once again in this wholly original fantasy.

What I thought: 

I really enjoyed the beginning. The story was a little slow but the voice carried me along. But then she ran away and the plot ceased to exist and I felt like I was being lectured with all the info-dumps and flashbacks. Not for me.

Rating: * (1 star) 

*I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher. It in no way influenced my review.

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RATING SCALE: 

 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 

 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 

 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 

 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.

 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.

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Click on the cover to link to Goodreads and leave your book recommendations in my comments. Comments make me smile. :) 






You can find me on twitter: @ChellyPike and find more reviews here: https://chellywrites.blogspot.com.



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Happy reading,

Chelly

WONDERBLOOD by Julia Whicker

Wonderblood

by 

Julia Whicker

It's 500 years in the future, and a mad cow-like disease called "Bent Head" has killed off most of the U.S. population. Those remaining turn to magic and sacrifice to cleanse the Earth.

Wonderblood is Julia Whicker's fascinating literary debut, set in a barren United States, an apocalyptic wasteland where warring factions compete for control of the land in strange and dangerous carnivals. A mad cow-like disease called "Bent Head" has killed off millions. Those who remain worship the ruins of NASA's space shuttles, and Cape Canaveral is their Mecca. Medicine and science have been rejected in favor of magic, prophecy, and blood sacrifice.

When traveling marauders led by the bloodthirsty Mr. Capulatio invade her camp, a young girl named Aurora is taken captive as his bride and forced to join his band on their journey to Cape Canaveral. As war nears, she must decide if she is willing to become her captor's queen. But then other queens emerge, some grotesque and others aggrieved, and not all are pleased with the girl's ascent. Politics and survival are at the centre of this ravishing novel.

What I thought: 

Eerily disturbing. 

Gruesomely believable.  

This book is beautifully written and a little bit haunting. I love how much this story made me think. 

It definitely falls into the literary category, in that it's character driven, which made the action, at times, feel... I hesitate to say slow, so maybe just not fast. 

There was a lot of weird. In a good way. This was the most imaginative take on dystopian that I've read to date. Brilliant and evocative. 

I will be thinking about this one for a long time. 


TW: There are a few triggers throughout, but nothing really graphic on the page, so keep that in mind.

Rating: ***** (4.5 stars)

*I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher. It in no way influenced my review.

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RATING SCALE: 

 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 

 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 

 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 

 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.

 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.

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Click on the cover to link to Goodreads and leave your book recs in my comments. Comments make me smile. :) 



You can find me on twitter: @ChellyPike and find more reviews here: https://chellywrites.blogspot.com.





Happy reading,

Chelly

THE CHATEAU by Tiffany Reisz

The Chateau

(The Original Sinners #9)

by 

Tiffany Reisz 

As the Jack-of-All-Wicked-Trades for a secretive French military intelligence agency, 24-year-old Lieutenant Kingsley Boissonneault has done it all—spied, lied, and killed under orders. But his latest assignment is quite out of the ordinary. His commanding officer's nephew has disappeared inside a sex cult, and Kingsley has been tasked with bringing him home to safety. 

The cult’s holy book is Story of O, the infamous French novel of extreme sado-masochism. Their château is a looking-glass world where women reign and men are their willing slaves. Or are they willing? It’s Kingsley’s mission to find out.

Once inside the château, however, Kingsley quickly falls under the erotic spell cast by the enigmatic Madame, a woman of wisdom, power, and beauty. She offers Kingsley the one thing he’s always wanted. But the price? Giving up forever the only person he’s ever loved.

What I thought:

This was the first book I've read in the Original Sinners series and it definitely won't be the last. Kingsley. Sigh. I love how complex Reisz's characters are. I love how she weaves a story together. 

This is billed as a stand-alone, and it does, however, I did feel like the ending was a little rushed. I felt it lacked something, but I think that was because I didn't have the backstory from previous titles to fall back on. Otherwise a nuanced, fast-paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed.   

If you enjoy BDSM, complex relationships and even more complex characters, this story is for you! 

Rating: **** (4.25 stars)

*I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. It in no way influenced my review.

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RATING SCALE: 

 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 

 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 

 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 

 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.

 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.

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Click on the cover to link to Goodreads and leave your book recs in my comments. Comments make me smile. :) 

You can find me on twitter: @ChellyPike and find more reviews here: https://chellywrites.blogspot.com.

Happy reading,

Chelly

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST by Holly Black

The Darkest Part of the Forest

by 

Holly Black 

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? 

What I thought: 

Yes! This story is marvelous. Enchanting. Delightful. It did not go how I initially expected and that only made it better. No spoils, but I highly recommend this book. I love Holly Black. She never disappoints. 

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

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RATING SCALE: 

 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 

 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 

 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 

 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.

 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.

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Click on the cover to link to Goodreads and leave your book recs in my comments. Comments make me smile. :) 

Oh, yeah, and find me on twitter: @ChellyPike and find more reviews here: https://chellywrites.blogspot.com.

Happy Reading,

Chelly

DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST / LICKS/ I DO NOT TRUST YOU

The Darkest Part of the Forest

by 

Holly Black 

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? 

What I thought: 

Yes! This story is marvelous. Enchanting. Delightful. It did not go how I initially expected and that only made it better. No spoils, but I highly recommend this book. I love Holly Black. She never disappoints. 

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

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Licks

(One Wild Wish #3)

by 

Kelly Siskind

36 hours is a short spell when racing the clock.
2,160 minutes is an eternity for old friends to fall in love… 

August Cruz is the only man I’ve ever loved. 
He’s the one who got away. 
He’s the one I totally screwed over. 

Now he’s standing on my doorstep, nine years later, but he’s not the only thing that turns up. My mother’s lost diary is in my hands, and it might lead me to my father. A possibility I wished for one year ago, at my last birthday. 

I have 36 hours to fulfill that wish. 
I have 36 hours to drag August on a wild scavenger hunt. 
I have 36 hours to protect my heart before I lose him again...because there's something he's not telling me. 

What I thought: 

So this story is built around my least favorite romance obstacle... and I still really enjoyed it. Kelly Siskind just has a way with romance. Terrific tension and oh so steamy. A definite read for romance fans. I can't wait to see what she writes next. 

Rating: **** (3.75 stars)

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I Do Not Trust You

by 

Laura J. Burns and 

Melinda Metz 

Memphis "M" Engle is stubborn to a fault, graced with an almost absurd knowledge of long lost languages and cultures, and a heck of an opponent in a fight. In short: she's awesome.

Ashwin Sood is a little too posh for her tastes, a member of an ancient cult (which she’s pretty sure counts for more than one strike against him), and has just informed Memphis that her father who she thought was dead isn’t and needs her help.

From the catacombs of Paris to lost temples in the sacred forests, together they crisscross the globe, searching for the pieces of the one thing that might save her father. But the closer they come to saving him—and the more they fall for one another—the closer they get to destroying the world. 

What I thought: 

This story had so much potential, but where it was strong in premise, I found that it failed in execution. 

There were two POVs, but the characters' voices were so similar that I couldn't keep track of which character was on stage. And I couldn't connect with either one of them. I'm all for unlikable girls, but M's character wasn't developed enough for me to feel anything for her.

The writing was flat. Lots of telling and none of the scenes were really fleshed out. The best parts of the story were the scenes with Mike (but don't even get me started on that whole revelation because I found it cringe-worthy) and the mythology aspects. 

But the mythology wasn't enough to keep it interesting. There were no twists, no turns. Every obstacle was easily surmounted with an A + B = C formulaic plan. Mostly I think I was disappointed that this was marketed as a thriller, and it wasn't thrilling. But the most annoying part were the villains. Over-the-top cliche villains with no depth. 

So this story wasn't for me, but plenty of other people liked it. If you like mythology and want to learn a little bit about many other cultures, specifically their holy places, maybe this is for you. 

Rating: ** (1.75 stars)

*I received a complimentary ARC of this title from St. Martin's Press. It in no way influenced my review.

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RATING SCALE: 

 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 

 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 

 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 

 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.

 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.

________________________________________________________

Click on the cover to link to Goodreads and leave your book recs in my comments. Comments make me smile. :) 

Oh, yeah, and find me on twitter: @ChellyPike

Happy Reading,

Chelly