Forget Tomorrow

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn has such a beautiful cover that I immediately wanted to read the book! This dystopian story involves future memories, a confusing concept that Pintip Dunn clarifies well with her writing skills. Relying completely on a memory from the future to dictate my life would make me feel trapped. When Callie receives her memory, her entire world falls into turmoil. Unsure of Logan’s intentions and wary of the people around her, she doesn’t know who she can trust. Logan helps Callie escape after she has been placed in Limbo. Since she can’t swim, Logan continues on the journey with her to get her to safety. The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking, “just kiss each other already!” Logan and Callie make it to safety, the Harmony compound, and meet several people who are afraid to enjoy their lives because they are worried about their future memories coming true. Callie heads back home to save Jessa. She learns many secrets involving her family and the community. The cliffhanger ending is almost unbearable – 4 stars. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, Remember Yesterday.

The Grisha Trilogy

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo is the start of the Grisha Trilogy about two orphans, Alina and Mal. Alina and Mal are being interviewed by Grisha as children, then the story jumps ahead to their young adulthood. Mal is a tracker in the army and Alina is an assistant to a cartographer. The army is crossing The Fold, a place where monsters called Volcra live. Volcra attack and Mal and Alina protect each other. As the Volcra claw at her back, Alina lights up. She’s suspected of being a Sun Summoner and people will want her to light up The Fold so traveling can be safer and ports can be used once again. The Darkling takes Alina to Os Alta for her safety, her training and to serve the kingdom. Alina feels like she doesn’t fit into this life any better than her last dwelling and job as a mapmaker. She hasn’t seen Mal since she was taken to the palace. Alina has a revelation as a forgotten memory resurfaces. Alina’s power comes forth and as her power grows, it becomes easier for her to call upon and she learns who she can and cannot trust and who she truly loves. I like how the author has woven Russia into the story. Leigh Bardugo is an impressive author and her debut novel, Shadow and Bone, brought anxiety to my mind and tears to my eyes – 5 stars!

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Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo is the second book in the Grisha Trilogy. Mal and Alina escape from the Darkling and are trying to earn enough money to travel to a place where no one has heard of the Grisha. Before they can move on, the Darkling finds them again. The White Stag captured in the first book was only the first of the amplifiers the Darkling wants. He is now after the Sea Whip. The crew is overthrown by a privateer who rescues Mal and Alina from the Darkling, just as the Sea Whip is captured and killed. Alina now has a second amplifier and reads a story about a third one, the Firebird. The privateer, Sturmhond, has many tricks and secrets up his sleeve. While Alina is put in charge of the Second Army with Mal as the Captain of the Guard, the kingdom is searching for the Darkling and preparing for war. Alina learns that the amplifiers were not discovered, but created, which makes their safety more questionable and makes them even more of a mystery. Lives are lost and some are forever changed in the battle with the Darkling. Once again, Leigh Bardugo has entered the Grisha’s world with magnificent writing and dynamic characters- 5 stars!

 

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Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo is the third and final book in the Grisha Trilogy. The Apparat is supposedly caring for Alina, the Sun Summoner, while all of her allies have been accused of treason. The group escapes and goes in search of the Firebird, the third and last amplifier. Once again, Nikolai saves them and he brightens up everything with his clever wit and resilient personality. The elevator scenes made me laugh, with the great dialogue! The group fights the Darkling again and horrible things happen. The author brings the characters to life with her details and the development of Genya is impressive and creates empathy for her struggles and amazement for her bravery at the same time. The descriptive world building made me feel as though I was in the middle of the action. I could feel the air move as the Firebird flew by and my ears hurt with its screech. Unpredictable, suspenseful and touching in all the right ways – 5 stars!

I look forward to reading the Six of Crows Duology that is set in the same world as the Grisha Trilogy!

The Devil You Know

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read and review The Devil You Know by Trish Doller. This young adult thriller is the perfect horror story with just the right amount of suspense. Trish Doller brings the characters to life and makes them believable. Cadie is a young woman in need of a break from taking care of her father and younger brother. She has kept their household together since her mother passed away from cancer, years earlier. All she wants is a little adventure for a few days, but she gets so much more than she expected! I read this book straight through because the writing flows well and the suspense pulled me in. I was right alongside the characters, rooting for Cadie! I highly recommend this book for any reader that wants a bit of scare – 5 stars!

Chasing Truth

Posted on by lynndellwatson

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Entangled Teen for the arc of Chasing Truth by Julie Cross! Wow, what a ride! This adventure, mystery, thriller, romance, young adult story held my attention from beginning to end.

Chasing Truth is cleverly written, with complex main characters and side characters, and mysterious because the main character has hidden agendas and a secrecy surrounding her. I like Ellie (Eleanor) with her clever, quick wit and the fact that she seems to care about people and also values integrity in others. Ellie’s friend, Simon, supposedly committed suicide but the investigation into his death is ongoing. This book is hard to put down and I just wanted to keep reading, but alas, life needs to be lived;).

I loved this line, “This makes me hate him 2 percent less, which is useful when I have to pretend not to hate him”. I laughed out loud! It’s priceless! Out of context, this line doesn’t make much sense, but when you get to know Ellie and how she is dealing with her con-artist background while trying to be normal, it makes great dialogue!

The mysterious background of Ellie and the mystery surrounding Simon’s death kept me riveted throughout the book, 5 stars!

The Reader

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the arc of The Reader by Traci Chee! Sefia and her “aunt” Nin are hiding from people who want them. Sefia thinks they’re wanted because of Nin’s thievery skills. Sefia goes to a village to sell animal pelts and when she returns, Nin has been captured. The story falls back to when Sefia was younger and living with her father. He was killed and his body torn apart and Sefia had been with Nin at the time. When she returned home, she found her father’s body like this. Even though she was terrified and distraught about her father, Sefia hid as always told to, since her family expected danger eventually but never telling Sefia why. Her parents had given her three explicit instructions: use the secret doors, go through the tunnel, find Nin. At the last secret door, a rectangular object fell out, a book. She took it with her, not knowing what it was.

Many alternating points of view confused me for a while. Lon is a young man with special sight and Erastis, the master librarian, takes him in as his apprentice. Captain Reed and his ship, Current (a remarkable captain and a remarkable ship). Assassins and trackers searching for something. Sefia reads about these people and the complicated stories found in the book turn out to be real people and their actual lives.

The Reader is interesting and complex with diverse characters, 4 stars.

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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I thoroughly enjoyed Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, with fantastic writing that delves into the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. Audrey Rose, a strong willed young woman in the late 1800’s, enjoys science and learning from her uncle, who teaches medicine with passion bordering on obsession. Audrey Rose is allowed to attend her uncle’s class if she dresses as a boy and speaks to no one. Another student, Thomas Caldwell, is working with Audrey Rose to solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper. The two of them become friendly rivals who grate on each other’s nerves. The twists and turns leave Audrey Rose not knowing who she can trust and the mystery keeps getting more personal than she feels comfortable with. Unbearable suspense and intense plot equal 5 stars!

Labyrinth Lost

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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A family that celebrates Deathdays instead of sixteenth birthdays, Bat Mitzvahs or Quinceaneras lives in Brooklyn, New York and everyone is excited to celebrate Alejandra’s (Alex’s) Deathday. Alejandra isn’t happy about the magic in her family and she is definitely not looking forward to her Deathday celebration. She has been told that she is an enchantrix, which means she is powerful. Alex wants it all to go away and she eventually gets what she wishes for. A shadow demon attacks their home, so the family decides to have Alex’s Deathday party the very next day. At the party, the ceremony backfires and a demon takes Alex’s family and she has only Nova, a mysterious young man, to help get them back. To save her family, Alex has to conquer the mythology of Los Lagos, another realm ruled by The Devourer. I enjoy Nova’s personality and the banter between him and Alex makes me laugh. This story is beautifully written and reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and Greek mythology. Inspired by Latin American religions and cultures all brought into the present time – 4 stars!

Bottled

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to Clean Reads for the opportunity to read and honestly review Bottled by Carol Riggs! This fantasy story involves a woman trapped in a spell, cast by a djinn, who serves her changing masters over the centuries. A traditional story with a female protagonist, a horrible villain, romance and suspense. This is a clean read book and enjoyable!

Shadow of a Girl

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Shadow of a Girl by Shannon Greenland! Eve has never felt love from her family or the people she has grown up around. Her only friend risks everything to help Eve escape her horrible and tragic life. Once she escapes, Eve is continually hiding from her prison like past while trying to learn how to enjoy life with her new acquaintances. She never truly feels free. West is interesting and entertaining from the first time Eve meets him and West has secrets of his own… Shadow of a Girl deals with difficult issues, such as abuse and overcoming it and how much of a struggle that can be and even more. Amazing character development! This realistic story will empower! 5 stars!

For This Life Only

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for the arc of For This Life Only by Stacey Kade! This realistic fiction, young adult read is touching, contains strong character development and is inspiring. Jace loses his twin brother, Eli, in a vehicular accident and has survivor’s guilt and depression. He also knows Eli was keeping a close secret and was about to tell Jace this secret right before the accident occurred. The secret starts to unfold and involves his family in a way that he never would have realized. This story deals with dysfunctional families, community problems and pressure in a way that helps the reader feel true empathy for the characters. 4.5 stars!