Angelica - Book Review

Angelica (Samaria #4)
by Sharon Shinn

What is it about:
Two hundred years ago, the god Jovah created a legion of land dwelling angels, led by an appointed Archangel. Now, Jovah has a new appointee: Archangel Gaaron.

For his life-mate, his Angelica, Jovah has chosen a woman named Susannah. Slowly, an unspoken affection develops between the two. But there is a terrible threat besetting the land-and the true hearts of Archangel and Angelica may never be known.

What did I think of it:
This was a reread, but I never reviewed the book before so it's high time I did.

This is chronologically the first story set in Samaria, but it's book #4 in the series. And to new readers I can advice to start with either book #1 (Archangel), or better yet book #2 (Jovah's Angel), because my copy of Archangel pretty much ruins the suspense of Jovah's Angel in the cover blurb. But then again I started reading this series with Jovah's Angel, so I might be prejudiced.

Anyway, I think this book is best enjoyed after reading the first three books and knowing a bit more about the world of Samaria.

I really love this world and this story is very enjoyable although of all the books it's my least favorite. I think that is because the romance between Gaaron and Susannah is too understated. True: it's a realistic romance in that it's no instalove or even instalust, but two people getting to know each other and respect each other. Still I think there's not enough actual interaction between the two to believe they get to know each other enough to fall in love.

Next to their story is the story of Gaaron's willful sister Miriam and this part of the book is my favorite part. Miriam is a handful and the things she does would drive most people crazy. It was fun to see her struggle to find her place in the world and when she does she shines.

The world building in this series is mostly based on biblical and middle eastern culture. And here we find the one thing that bugs me about this series: The Jansai.

The Jansai are half nomadic people who keep their women veiled and mostly hidden from other people. I think it's easy to see where the inspiration for the Jansai comes from, therefor I'm disappointed by the one sided nature of the Jansai. Basically all male Jansai are painted as sneaky, untrustworthy & abusive. I would have liked a bit more diversity there, and no: that one exception in Angel Seeker (which I'll be rereading and reviewing soon) doesn't count imo.

All in all this is an enjoyable read, and I liked revisiting it, although of the books in this series it's the one I've reread the least.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable Biblical Fantasy read.


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To DNF or not to DNF - Rampant

Rampant (Killer Unicorns #1)
by Diana Peterfreund

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns...

Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

My thoughts:
I've been picking this up, reading a bit, and putting this down a few times now.

The premise of this book is cool: killer unicorns! And some of them are even the proper goaty kind of unicorn. The story however feels much too slow and too focused on Astrid trying to get laid to escape her destiny. I want more killer unicorns!

I keep saying to myself to give it another try in hope there will be more unicorns if I just read a bit further, but maybe I should just give up and consider this book a DNF.

Anyone read this and can tell me if it's worth slogging through all the teen angsty stuff?



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A Dark And Twisted Heart - Early Book Review

A Dark And Twisted Heart
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
Katrina is so beautiful, she's almost perfect. She only has two flaws. She's possessive.

And she's dead.

William adores Katrina, but he almost forgets about her when he meets Adelle, with her gentle smile and winsome ways.
So what's he to do? He certainly can't be faithful to a dead girl.
Even though he loves her, so much so he visits her grave every day.
Even though she haunts him and constantly reminds him of the terrible thing he did.

Even though she might just drive him to do something terrible again. Very soon.

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool spooky read.

William is haunted by Katrina even while he's courting her best friend. What happened to make Katrina haunt him, and what will happen next?

I loved the mood Destefano creates in this short story. It drew me in and painted a vivid picture even though the world building is practically non-existent. It shines through in certain words and remarks though. Destefano's writing lends itself perfectly for this sort of story: atmospheric and disturbing.

A perfect read for Halloween.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice, spooky short story.


Releases October 1, 2017
Find buy links here

Teaser Tuesdays - In Evil Times

I made a false start on this book a few months ago, but on second try I'm hooked. SF at it's best.


There was a crack as the cartilage in her nose broke. The woman screamed, hands flying to cover her face. The white material of both her suit and Mercedes' were spattered with blood.

(page 240, In Evil Times by Melinda Snodgrass)


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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Soul Siphon - Book Review

Soul Siphon (Soul Stones, #0.1)
by T.L. Branson

What is it about:
Alexander Drygo, king of Sunbury, is reeling from the loss of his wife. Despite his best efforts using an incredible power, she is no longer among the living.

When a rival kingdom seeks to take advantage of this delicate time in Drygo’s life, he is thrust into a battle for the future of his kingdom.

Can he save his people where he could not save his queen?

What did I think of it:
This being a short story (24 pages), it's a quick read.

I must say I really enjoyed it. It's a kind of intro to the series, leading up to the events of book one - Soul Render.

With this being a short story there's little time for character and world building, but Branson did manage to give me a clear view of the world with just a bare minimum of world building. There are quite a few fight scenes in this short story and those were well crafted. It's easy to get bored or confused during fight scenes in my opinion, but here I kept my focus on what's happening.

All in all a nice, quick read to get a sense of the world and of what to expect from Soul Render. I'll be keeping an eye out for Soul Render for sure.

Why should you read it:
It's a quick action-packed Fantasy read.


Soul Siphon will release September 29th
Find out more about Soul Siphon & Soul Render here

Before She Ignites - Book Review

Before She Ignites (Fallen Isles Trilogy #1)
by Jodi Meadows

What is it about:
Before

Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland.

But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station.

After

Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect.

No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.

What did I think of it:
I usually don't buy hardcovers, but wait (im)patiently for the paperback. For this book I made an exception as I was just too curious if it was as good as the gorgeous cover and the blurb promised.

And let me tell you: this is a great read.

Even though I didn't get as much dragons as I hoped for, I fell in love with this story. Mira is an unusual, but very relatable heroine with her compulsive counting and her anxiety. I also love that she struggles between doing the right thing and doing what's safer for herself. I loved getting to know her and to see her interact with those around her.

The story is told switching back and forth in time. As a reader you at first dont know why Mira was send to prison, but with flashbacks the story slowly unfolds.

I loved the parts that took place in the Pit. Mira makes friends and enemies there. But is every friendly face to be trusted, and is every enemy as evil as Mira thinks? The characters all felt very real and I eagerly kept reading to see where things would lead.

The ending gives closure on some storylines, so you don't feel like you're left hanging, but there's so much yet to come and to discover, you can bet I'll be getting my greedy trotters on the next book once it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool YA Fantasy read with dragons.


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Teasing on a Thursday - Starfall

"Hot damn," he said, pulling his shirt collar over his nose and mouth. "It smells like a skunk threw up on a dead body in here."

(page 113, Starfall by Melissa Landers)


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---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Flesh - Book Review

Flesh
by Laura Bickle

What is it about:
The dead are easy to talk to. Live people, not so much.

Charlie Sulliven thinks she knows all the secrets of the dead. Raised in a funeral home, she’s the reluctant “Ghoul Girl,” her reputation tied to a disastrous Halloween party. But navigating her life as a high school sophomore is an anxiety-inducing puzzle to her. She haunts the funeral home with her parents, emo older brother, Garth, their pistol-packing Gramma, and the glass-eyeball-devouring dachshund, Lothar.

Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. The bodies seem tied to a local legend, Catfish Bob, who has resurfaced in the muddy Milburn river near Charlie’s small town. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.

What did I think of it:
You might know I'm a big fan of Laura Bickle, so you bet I started reading this book as soon as it released yesterday.

And this is yet another awesome read!

Charlie is easy to relate to. She just wants to be a normal teen, but living in a funeral home and with a family like hers that isn't easy. I was rooting for her from the start.

The story has a nice build up: you get to know Charlie and her family while there are hints that some weird stuff might be going on, but nothing too obvious until corpses start disappearing...

This story is creepy, suspenseful, and kept me reading until I finished it. There are ghouls, old evils lurking in the shadows, and one of the most awesome grandmothers I've seen in fiction. I also loved the antics of Lothar, the dachshund.

I loved how the story progressed and how the pacing increased as things get more dire. I was intrigued by what was happening and why it was happening. Charlie tries to do things on her own, but luckily she finds people who can help her as things spiral more and more out of control.

As with all good stories I finished it way too soon, but the ending was very satisfying. You bet I'll be rereading this, and I'll be stalking Laura's social media to see if there will be a print version.

Why should you read it:
Zombies!!! Well... sort of zombies, but still awesome!


Find buy links here

Bodies In Motion - Release Day Alert

I'm so going to get my trotters on this book soon.


Bodies In Motion (Newton's Laws, #1)
by Liana Brooks

A body at rest stays at rest unless acted on by an equal and opposite force.
– Newton’s First Law of Motion

Selena Caryll lost everything in the war: her ship, her crew, her family. The only thing keeping her going is the hope that somehow the feuding, ground-bound settlers and the fuelless space fleet can set aside their differences. But getting the politically-fractured fleet moving again is more than she can manage alone. For now, she has to settle for working undercover with the planetary police force.

When someone tries to reignite conflict between the planet-siders and the fleet, there’s only one person who has the rank and ability to help Selena protect the fleet: Titan Sciarra, Fleet Guardian—the one man she’s tried hardest to avoid since the war destroyed her life.

In a world where the stagnant weight of tradition can be as deadly as any knife, the only way to survive is to keep moving.


Find buy links here

United - Book Review

United (Alienated #3)
by Melissa Landers

What is it about:
After thwarting a deadly coup and saving the alliance between their worlds, Cara and Aelyx have finally earned a break. Their tiny island colony is everything they dreamed it would be―days spent gathering shells on the beach and nights in each other’s arms.

But the vacation is short-lived.

The treaty between Earth and L’eihr has awakened an ancient force that threatens to destroy them all. The Aribol, mysterious guardians charged with maintaining interstellar peace, deem the alliance a threat to the galaxy. They order a separation of the races, decreeing humans and L’eihrs must return to their own planets within the month or face extinction. In fact, they already have agents in place on Earth, ready to begin.

With the clock ticking, Aelyx and Cara assemble a team of colonists and race back to Earth, where they unite with old friends to solve the mystery of who the Aribol are, what they want, and the real reason the alliance has provoked them. As tensions build to a full-scale war, Aelyx and Cara must fight harder than ever―not just for their future, but for the survival of both their worlds.

What did I think of it:
A great conclusion to a fun SF trilogy.

This book has lots more action than the previous two books. The Aribol want the humans and L'eihrs to end their alliance and are not giving them much time to consider their options.

Cara and Aelyx decide to secretly find a way to oppose the Aribol and together with some friends they set out to earth. They encounter lots of problems and dangers.

Again it was easy to sniff out some of the things that were going on, but the story was too entertaining for that to be a grumble. I was hooked from the start until the very satisfying finish. If you're looking for a fun YA SF series, you really should give this trilogy a try.

All in all I think the first book was the most serious when it comes to current issues. The second book was the most suspenseful, while the third had the most action. All three are fun and entertaining.

You bet I'll be picking up Starfall soon and that I'll keep an eye out for more books by Landers.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and action-packed YA SF read.


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The Hate U Give - Book Review

The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas

What is it about:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

What did I think of it:
I think everyone who has ever felt the need to respond with All Lives Matter when they are confronted with Black Lives Matter should read this book.

It's emotional, raw, honest, and doesn't pull any punches. I've always known I'm privileged, but this book drove it home once more.

I could say lots more, but I feel like I can't do this book justice. Go read it yourself, because this is a well written, powerful story.

Why should you read it:
It's an emotional and powerful read.


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In McPig's TBR Pile - Autodrome

I just love the cover of this book, and together with it being cheap it's why I decided to buy it even though I wasn't sure if the story was for me. And as so often happens with books I buy that are a little bit outside my normal reading comfort zone, it has been gathering dust ever since, being overlooked in favor of books well within my comfort zone.

One day I'll give it a try. Probably...


Autodrome
by Kim Lakin-Smith

With its population of teen motor sport enthusiasts, promoters, grease monkeys and drivers, life in the steam and gas powered metropolis of Autodrome is all about the race. On the same day that 15 year old Zar Punkstar qualifies as a Pro Leaguer, he finds his inventor father murdered, and a clue -- a Paranascope scroll containing a holographic map of the city.

An encounter with the mysterious race promoter, Braxton Earl, leads him to enter the city's infamous Ramrod Rally, a series of races, obstacle courses and death traps in Autodrome's notorious outer suburbs, The Eras.

His team mates include fellow racer and number one crush, Raina Jubilique, and a group of jaded ex-Pro Leaguers who'd sooner stab each other in the back as race together. His opposition are a mixed bag of polished Pro Leaguers, hired thugs, and parts' pirates.

But who to trust in a world of competitors? And for a champion like Zar, is the ultimate prize to win the Ramrod or outwit a killer?


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White Trash Zombie Gone Wild - Book Review

White Trash Zombie Gone Wild (White Trash Zombie #5)
by Diana Rowland

What is it about:
Angel Crawford has buried her loser past and is cruising along in undead high gear--that is, until a murder-by-decapitation sends her on a hazardous detour. As Angel hunts for the killer, she uncovers a scheme that would expose zombies to the public and destroy the life she's built, and she's determined not to rest until she finds out who's behind it.

Soon she's neck-deep in lies, redneck intrigue, zombie hunters, and rot-sniffing cadaver dogs. It's up to her to unravel the truth and snuff out the conspiracy before the existence of zombies makes headline news and she's outed as a monster.

But Angel hasn't quite escaped the pill-popping ghosts of her past--not with an illicit zombie pharmaceutical at her fingertips. Good thing she's absolutely sure she can handle the drug's unpredictable side effects and still take down the bad guys...or maybe she's only one bad choice away from being dead meat--for real this time.

Angel knows a thing or two about kicking ass, but now the ass she needs to kick might be her own.

What did I think of it:
It's surprising how much I love this series after I wasn't sure if I should continue to read it when I finished the first book.

Am I glad that the gorgeous covers by Daniel Dos Santos kept luring me in! This book is yet another cool read.

Angel does manage to find trouble, but luckily she's getting better at getting herself out again. The love interest I didn't much like seems to have been banished to the background and Angel seems to be heading in a direction I hadn't seen coming when it comes to love. But there's not much time for love with all the things going on in her life, so that's only a small part of this book. Mainly this book has Angel uncovering secrets, hunting killers, and trying to stay in one piece (quite literally).

When not trying to stay alive Angel is making friends in unexpected places, and some of the characters who have been in this series from the start got extra layers. There's tons of stuff happening and although some things are resolved there's enough still going on to make me curious to see what's next for Angel.

You bet I'll be reading the next book soon!

Why should you read it:
It's a cool and fun thinking Zombie read.




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Teaser Tuesdays - United

At that, Jaxen's lips curled in a sly smile. He advanced a pace.
"You didn't offer me anything in exchange for the answers I've already provided. That's rather rude, isn't it?"

(page 178, United by Melissa Landers)


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---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Wicked Like a Wildfire - Book Review

Wicked Like a Wildfire (Hibiscus Daughter #1)
by Lana Popović

What is it about:
All the women in Iris and Malina’s family have the unique magical ability or “gleam” to manipulate beauty. Iris sees flowers as fractals and turns her kaleidoscope visions into glasswork, while Malina interprets moods as music. But their mother has strict rules to keep their gifts a secret, even in their secluded sea-side town. Iris and Malina are not allowed to share their magic with anyone, and above all, they are forbidden from falling in love.

But when their mother is mysteriously attacked, the sisters will have to unearth the truth behind the quiet lives their mother has built for them. They will discover a wicked curse that haunts their family line—but will they find that the very magic that bonds them together is destined to tear them apart forever?

What did I think of it:
I'm in two minds about this book.

It's beautifully written, but it felt slow. Now I don't mind a slow pace if it benefits the mood of the story, but here it just felt like it took forever to get to the actual point of the story and it didn't add to the mood for me.

I must say that the setting felt anachronistic at times. It's set in present day, but it felt more like the eighties to me, so I was jarred out of the story every time I was reminded by something that this was taking place now. Now I will confess that I've never been to Montenegro, so maybe they do have a pace of life and of doing things that fits more with my ideas about how it was in the eighties than it's fitting with how I experience the world today, so this might be all on me.

Those things aside this is a beautiful story with an intriguing mythology. I liked both Iris and Malina, they might be twins, but they have very different personalities. The way they both dealt with what was happening felt realistic and I rooted for them both. There were some other characters that I wished had gotten a bit more screen time. They felt important to the story, so in my opinion could have been fleshed out a bit more.

All in all a beautiful read if a bit slow. I might get the next book, but it won't be in hardcover.

Why should you read it:
It's an intriguing Paranormal YA read.


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Isla and the Happily Ever After - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3)
by Stephanie Perkins

What is it about:
Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
After the train wreck that was Lola and the Boy Next Door I was a little bit hesitant to pick this book up, but I really liked the first book and I liked Josh in that first book as well, so I hoped this last book would be enjoyable again.

And it was.

I liked both Josh and Isla and could understand how the both of them felt. Their romance is sweet, but then stuff goes wrong and the story turned more angsty, but not in a bad way. Isla needs to think hard about what she wants to have a chance at her happily ever after.

If there's one thing I can say against this story it's the way Isla's best friend is used and discarded for the sake of the story. For me it really felt as if he was just a story hook instead of him really being Isla's best friend. I'd have liked to see more of their friendship instead of him being a prop in the romance between Isla and Josh. The same goes for Isla's sister Hattie.

That aside this is a nice romance and it's once again set in a boarding school, so I very much enjoyed this book. I think the first book will remain my favorite, but this one deserves a spot on my keeper shelves as well. I will keep an eye out for more books by Perkins.

Why should you read it:
It's an awkwardly sweet YA Contemporary romance


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On McPig's Wishlist - Black Bird of the Gallows

That gorgeous cover alone is reason enough to want to buy this book. But I'll be strong and wait for the paperback which releases next year.


Black Bird of the Gallows
by Meg Kassel

A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What's more, she knows something most don't. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.


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Lola and the Boy Next Door - Spoilery Book Rant by Voodoo Bride

Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2)
by Stephanie Perkins

What is it about:
Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
*beware: spoilers*

I will confess I almost DNFed this book. I tossed it aside full of disgust with just 90 more pages to read, but finally decided I already had made it so far into this train wreck I might as well finish it.

And in those last 90 pages I got to know Calliope and wished the book had been about her, or if not her than Lola's best friend. Anyone but Lola and Cricket.

At the start of the book Lola has a boyfriend: Max. It's clear from the start that Max (who's really cool) will be scapegoated later in the book because he's clearly not The Boy Next Door. Now to understand why this really annoyed me you have to know that Lola just turned 17 and Max is 22. When they met Lola lied to him about her age, during the book she lies to him about other things, but when she breaks up with him she thinks he's in the wrong because he doesn't trust her! When did you ever give him reason to trust you, Lola!? Add another extra scene later on to further make him seem to be the bad guy so Lola can go smooch her boy next door without feeling guilty and I really despised both Lola and the whole scapegoating of Max.

And then there's the boy next door a.k.a. Cricket. What a pompous ass! I disliked him from the first sentence that came out of his mouth. Then he does some things I would have kicked him for if I was Lola, but Lola is too busy scapegoating Max to notice. Of course Cricket likes Lola best when she's conforming instead of being alternative, although later on when it's convenient he suddenly likes her costumes again. And to top it all off Cricket confesses he really likes Lola and immediately follows it by telling her he has lots of practice kissing other girls... Smooth, Cricket. Real smooth.

So yeah... The only two reasons I finished this book were that I was curious to see where this train wreck was going, and then I wrestled my way through the last 90 pages because I already made it through most of the book anyway.

I do have the last book in this series in my TBR pile, and I really liked the male lead of that book in Anna and the French Kiss, so I have hope I'll like that one better.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you will like Lola and Cricket better than I did.
And I will confess: I did like Lola's dads.


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Teaser Tuesdays - Wicked Like a Wildfire

"Riss," she choked out, stumbling against my side. "I can't stay here. I-I can't listen to her."

(page 81, Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic)

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---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Invaded - Book Review

Invaded (Alienated #2)
by Melissa Landers

What is it about:
Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.

The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?

What did I think of it:
It took me some time to finally pick this book up, for some reason it kept being overlooked.

This is a really fun read.

It's been a while since I read the first book (February 2015) so I didn't remember all that happened in Alienated, but the way Invaded is written it didn't matter as the important things were mentioned in an organic way to remind the reader.

In this book we follow Cara while she's trying to fit in on L'eihr while Aelyx is trying to win humanity over back on earth.

Cara is experiencing a lot of the same prejudice Aelyx encountered in Alienated and next to that someone is trying to frame her for some nasty incidents. I loved reading how Cara is trying to adapt and trying to figure out who her secret enemy is. Add other mysterious events to that and some intriguing, but untrustworthy characters and I was hooked.

Meanwhile Aelyx is on a tour to get humans on board with the whole L'eihr-human cooperation plan, and has to dodge both fan-girls and attacks on his life. This storyline was cool as well, but it was easy to sniff out one of the culprits. Luckily the why was more hidden.

The ending was full of action and left lots of things open for what promises to be an exciting last book in this trilogy. I already have the book in my TBR pile and will read it soon.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool YA SciFi read.


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TBR Orphans Challenge Update - August

I have difficulty concentrating on reading lately, but even so I manged to get three books read in August that had been on my shelves for more than three months.

The Nothing was a deliberate Orphan.
It's been on my shelves from May 2015 until this month just because I was in denial and didn't want the series to end.

The Cage and Invaded have just been overlooked in favor of newer additions to my TBR pile.
Both were added to my TBR pile in 2016, The Cage in May and Invaded in October.

This brings my total of Orphans read this year so far on 11.

How are you doing on your challenges?