It’s All Fun and Games by Dave Barrett

Posted on by lynndellwatson

28331715

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkshares for the opportunity to read and review It’s All Fun and Games by Dave Barrett. The prologue reveals an archer shooting at a group of friends. At first, it seems like a prank until they see that their friend is badly injured. Chapter One opens with teenagers planning a weekend trip to the woods for some LARPing- live action role-playing- and when they arrive in the woods, their roles are set out for them. They head out for their adventure and everything seems as it should be, for a while. The group meets other players at set stations and are given points, powers, caution and advice. Eventually, their roles, powers and enemies become real and they fall into danger. The commoners, thieves and creatures are real and so is the danger and violence. They have to rely on each other to survive. This unique book with a LARPing concept is fun, creative and original; 4 stars for a survival adventure wrapped up in a fantasy setting!

 

Roar by Cora Carmack

Posted on by lynndellwatson

29939048-_uy1508_ss1508_

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Roar by Cora Carmack! Aurora (Rora) is a princess among Stormlings, but she doesn’t have powers as she should. She’s been raised to believe that people that have powers are either royalty or were born with powers. She’s betrothed to Cassius Locke and they seem to be a good match because they are equally strong in character, then Rora overhears Cassius telling his family that things are working out just as planned and Rora feels as though she’s been deceived. She sneaks out of the palace to follow Cassius and ends up meeting people with storm magic that aren’t royalty and weren’t born with the magic. Her life completely turns around after that because she’s given hope for the first time in her life. There’s also a dark presence in the background, the Stormlord who wreaks havoc and causes devastation as he pleases. This complex story involves many sides and characters with agendas and back stories of their own. Dynamic, deep personalities bring intrigue, interest and suspense to the book. I enjoy Rora and Locke and their tumultuous relationship and the growth they share in becoming more aware of each other and how much they help each other. 5 stars for this nicely written fantasy adventure!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault by Candace Robinson

Posted on by lynndellwatson

34511974

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault by Candace Robinson. The sinister prologue spooked me and made me curious at the same time. Perrie is an only child living with her single father, since her mother left years ago. Her best friends are her next door neighbor and cousin, Maisie, and August, the teenage boy she has more than just friend feelings for. There’s an odd mystery about the breakup with her ex-boyfriend, Neven. One day, on their way home from school, Perrie, Maisie and August see a large building that they’ve never seen before, Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault. A sign stating there are job openings is hanging on the door. Curiously, Maisie has a job there by the next day. The characters are charming and the humor is refreshing, while something creepy lurks in the background. People are disappearing from their community and August and Perrie enter the Glass Vault when Maisie can’t be found. I don’t want to give anything away, but the twists floored me! A wonderful supernatural horror story full of fairy tale and historical retellings, worthy of 5 stars! Look closely at the cover for hints of retellings in this story!

Shearwater by Derek Murphy

Posted on by lynndellwatson

28628533

I thoroughly enjoyed Shearwater by Derek Murphy. The book opens with an intense prologue of a woman being stabbed by a man and then she grabs the knife and stabs him. Then they both plunge off the cliff and into the water. The first chapter jumps to thirty two years later and the main character, Clara Clark, is waiting for her parents to show up and watch her perform at her high school. While she’s singing, police show up to tell her that her parents perished in a car accident. Her mother’s will states that if something happens to her parents, guardianship goes to her grandfather in Ireland, her mother’s father. The problem is, she didn’t even know he existed. The longer she’s in Ireland, the more mysterious and strange her surroundings become and she begins to learn piece by piece why her mother left Ireland behind all those years ago. On her sixteenth birthday, her looks become more defined, sleek and beautiful and now she truly resembles her mother. Her heritage is slowly revealed and the mystery around the killings grows deeper. The creative story and plot make this a very interesting read and complex characters, mythology and historical legends of mermaids, Atlantis and humans weave together for a fun fantasy read; 5 stars!

Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Posted on by lynndellwatson

fatedrop

Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, the second book of the Tattoo series, begins with Bailey back as the Third Fate, the Fate of Life. She is told by the other two Fates that her Reckoning would begin that night. Morgan visits Bailey and her friends at the mall, once again, and this time her gifts are mirrored pendants for each of them. Bailey doesn’t know what her Reckoning entails but eventually she learns that it involves making a choice that can affect her for eternity. Bailey and her friends meet immortals, some nice and some not so nice. The sense of humor and loyalty are brought into the sequel to Tattoo and make Fate a charming read , 5 stars!

Kiss Me Kill You by Larissa C. Hardesty

Posted on by lynndellwatson

35106941-_uy383_ss383_

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa C. Hardesty! Emmy is a succubus but she has no idea that she is because her mother has kept her in the dark, even though it’s her job to teach and train Emmy. Emmy feels like an awkward teenager and the only guy she’s interested in, (Paul), turned her down when she asked him on a date. Emmy is changing due to being a succubus and guys are noticing. She goes on a date with Jake, has her first kiss and he ends up in the hospital. Emmy is freaked out and her mom and best friend, Lily, are finally telling her the truth. She fights against her succubus duties and struggles with her feelings for Paul. There is a boost in the amount of swearing in the last part of the book, so I give it a rating of 4.5 stars. Kiss Me, Kill You fits in the supernatural genre and it’s fun and fast moving and kept me so entertained that I didn’t want to put it down; I read it straight through.

Atlantis Reborn by Gloria Craw

Posted on by lynndellwatson

41ulssi1sel-_sy346_

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Atlantis Reborn by Gloria Craw! Alison becomes clan chief and makes choices that change her life. Each book in this series has Alison handling a different life changing event. Atlantis Reborn, the third book of the Atlantis rising series, gives Alison much more than one change to her life. She’s matured and knows everything about her past, her parents and her heritage. She gains loyal friends, becomes stronger and enjoys her relationship with Ian. Atlantis reborn is the book of this series with the most action, humor and romance. The ending is also perfect. 5 stars for an entertaining fantasy read!

Atlantis Quest by Gloria Craw

Posted on by lynndellwatson

91cbvet9qfl

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Atlantis Quest by Gloria Craw! Alison has now learned about her heritage from her biological mother and also about her abilities and now she’s expected to rescue her enemy from a kidnapping. She travels to a ski resort and spies on the Truss family to find Nikki and any news about her kidnapping. Alison meets and stays with a distant relative, Theron. He tells her about her father’s lineage and the story of how she was left with humans. Alison is given even more dangerous tasks to perform and help her people. Theron’s gruff demeanor mellows as his familial relationship with Alison grows. They are good for each other. This second book of the Atlantis trilogy amps up the dangers, action and intensity of Alison’s world while her responsibilities grow. 5 stars for this interesting fantasy adventure!

Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw

Posted on by lynndellwatson

22236535

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw! Alison works hard to not get noticed by anyone because she wants to blend in and stay invisible. Her adoptive parents love her tremendously and treat her well. She meets new students, Ian and Brandy, who start attending her school and, despite her best efforts, they become her friends. When she was younger, a stranger recognized her abilities and warned her to keep them secret. He also told Alison that she’s an Atlantis descendant like he is. He noticed her when she used her thought transference ability while playing, which means she can give other people thoughts and then they follow through with them. For example, if someone shows interest in her, she makes them think she’s boring and to not pay any attention to her. She fell and hit her head at school and is now having a difficult time using her transference ability. She discovers that Ian and Brandy are children of Atlantis also and they fill her in on her past and how she is being hunted by the man who killed her biological mother. Complex story and interesting characters make Atlantis Rising a great fantasy read; 5 stars!

Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine

Posted on by lynndellwatson

34388622

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine! Gris is a shape-shifting gargoyle called a Watcher. He travels to Hidden creek to reside in his relatives’ extra house. He meets Piper while she is searching for what attacked and killed her dog, Jester. For some reason, Hidden Creek is full of fiends and that’s why Gris has been called to live there. Gris becomes intrigued with Piper and they start a friendship and try to solve the mystery of Jester’s death and why there are numerous fiends in Hidden Creek. Piper deals with a specific type of obsessive compulsive disorder and it interested me because of how she handles it in her daily life. The author discusses OCD at the end of the book and opens up with her own experiences of dealing with the constraints and struggles that go along with it. 5 stars for a fun supernatural read for young adults and for the advice and wisdom offered by the author!