Shunned, by Steffanie Holmes | Book Review

Hey friends! Today I have my book review of

Shunned, by Steffanie Holmes.

Shunned is the first book in the Kings of Miskatonic Prep series. 

Trigger Warnings: Sex with a Minor, SEVERE / BRUTAL Bullying.

I should have kept my mouth shut.
I should have let them win.
Now the kings of the school are out for my blood,
… and they’re not the only ones.

The fire took everything.
My parents. My best friend. My life.

Now I have a second chance.
I only have to endure one year at this prestigious academy for rich snobs.
One year of being the charity case no one wanted.
One year of taunts and insults and bullying. Then I’m free.

But I didn’t count on Trey, Ayaz, and Quinn.
Arrogant, privileged, dangerous.
Drop-dead fucking gorgeous.
They want me gone.
They want me to suffer.
They’re determined to make my nightmares real.

Tough luck, bully boys – I won’t hide away.
I’m not afraid.
But maybe… I should be.

HP Lovecraft meets Cruel Intentions in this dark paranormal reverse harem bully romance. Warning: Not for the faint of heart – this story of three broken bad boys and the girl who stood her ground contains dark themes, crazed cultists, books bound in human skin, high-school drama, swoon-worthy sex, and potential triggers.

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

Shunned is a dark and heavy novel. I would not suggest reading this book at all. Especially if you’re looking for a light read. Like, no. 

Emerge, by Lena Mae Hill | Book Review

Hello! Today I have my book review of

Emerge, by Lena Mae Hill.

Emerge is the first book in the Hosting Gods series. 

Trigger Warning: Attempted Rape, Bullying.

Love can save you…if it doesn’t destroy you first.

Gwen has spent her life on the road, picking up and moving every few months when her mother has a mental break. They take care of each other. They don’t need anyone else. Or so Gwen believes…until her mother announces she’s met a man online.

When they arrive at his opulent home, Gwen is plunged into a world that seems to good to be true. Suddenly she’s living in a mansion overlooking the beach and eating foods she’s only read about in paperback novels. Her mother’s new man has four gorgeous sons who don’t mind her complete social incompetence. And her mother seems to have controlled her inner demons for the moment.

But the family they’ve joined has more than its share of secrets. When strange phenomena begin to occur in their presence, Gwen must emerge from her protective shell and embrace a destiny she’s never imagined.

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

I am not going to lie… I had incredibly high hopes for Emerge. And then every single one of those hopes were gone the minute I started reading this story.

Chosen, by Jada Fisher | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

Chosen, by Jada Fisher.

Chosen is the first book in The Brindle Dragon series. 

Trigger Warnings: Bullying

She is destined to soar with the dragons, but first…she needs to be chosen.
An epic dragon riding adventure from Jada Fisher, author of the popular Dragon Oracle series.

Eist was born to be a dragon rider, she just knows it. When fate conspires to take her parents and leave her orphaned and injured, her future appears bleak. Unwilling to back down, she must overcome a system stacked against her. Even if she passes all the tests, there’s no guarantee she will ever fly on a dragon. Can she beat the odds and find her destiny or will she be stranded on the ground?

Chosen is the first book in the Brindle Dragon series which follows the story of a young girl and her most unusual dragon as they set out to defeat an evil they don’t even know exists.

Chosen is the first book in The Brindled Dragon series. Eist, the main character, is a teenager who has a fierce love of dragons. We see Eist’s enthusiasm for dragons throughout the book. Frankly, Eist’s love for dragons is very endearing.

Chosen for Sight, Volume 01; by Delia Stewart | Book Review

Hello, today I have my book review of

Chosen for Sight, Volume 01, by Delia Stewart.

I used to be your run-of-the-mill Los Angeles teenager. Middle of the pack in looks, popularity, and intelligence. Literally nothing special.

And then we moved to New York City and I couldn’t get back to normal no matter how much I might want to.

Instead of normal, my average day had me talking to a ghost in my bedroom, chatting with my freaky tarot-reading neighboras she babbled about prophesies, and being escorted to and from school by the two hottest guys I’d ever seen. The kind of guys who’d never even have spoken to me in LA.

Of course, I couldn’t just go to a new school and make a few friends, couldn’t find a cute boy to take me to a dance or a football game like a normal girl. No, I had to stumble into whatever insanity my life had become, with its underground academies, kids with terrifying powers, and some ancient prophesy that made everyone believe I was “the one.” As if this was some Matrix redux.

The problem is, the longer I’m living this new life, the more I’m starting to believe what everyone is saying about an ancient evil rising from beneath the city.

But I don’t think I’ll ever believe I’m the only one who can stop it…

Chosen for Sight is a serialized reverse-harem paranormal story featuring magic, demons, and plenty of swoon-worthy heroes!

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

I had incredibly high hopes for this novel. And you know what? I should have looked into Chosen for Sight more. I thought that this book would be a longer story—and then when I finished the book I found out that it was only 46 pages.

A lot of this story felt really….wack to me. Like this story feels out of place, in a way. Which is great since Chosen for Sight seems to be an Urban Fantasy novel. 

A good thing about Chosen for Sight Volume 01, is that we get a feel of the characters involved but beyond that we don’t know much about anyone—that includes the main character.

And even though the Chosen for Sight series has a reverse harem theme to it, there weren’t actually any romance nor sex in this first book. I cannot speak for the other volumes though.

I’m curious about the rest of the story, but I don’t think I’m curious enough to actually go ahead and read more. 

I give Chosen for Sight Volume 01, 1 star.

Have you read Chosen for Sight Volume 01? What’d you think of it? 

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and Happy Reading!
Adele

Ever Lost, by L.E. Bross | Book Review

Hey friends! Today I have my book review of

Ever Lost by L.E. Bross.

Ever Lost is the first book in the Lost Boys of Neverly Prep trilogy. 

Trigger Warnings: Slut-Shaming, Sex Scenes, Abuse Mention.

I made a huge mistake.

No, not breaking into Panchard Enterprises, I did that on purpose. It was the getting caught part that changed everything. Instead of prison, Peter Panchard offers me a deal; steal something for him and he’ll help me find my little sister.

Now I’m at Neverly Prep wearing a uniform and trying to get close to Lucas Hook, the guy whose safe I need to crack. Did I mention the car and mansion and black card that goes along with this deal? Or the three boys so damned good looking it should be illegal?

They are the Lost Boys and they definitely don’t want me intruding into their lives. Something’s going on and I’m sure it has to do with their missing mother, Wendi. Peter warns me to stay away from his boys, to do what I’m being paid for, but at every turn, the sparks fly between us.

I have a job to do and a sister to find, and getting involved with three guys who are off limits is a bad idea. Especially when Hook is their enemy. But when has a little forbidden ever stopped me?

I’m Ever Darlington and I’ve never been very good at following the rules.

Guilt, betrayal and lies make up EVER LOST, book 1 in the Lost Boys of Neverly Prep, a dark and dirty fast burn contemporary RH academy romance based loosely on the characters from Peter Pan. Complete at 52,000 words. All the players are over 18 and there is a cliffhanger, but I promise it will be worth it!

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

Ever Lost was a breath of fresh air I sorely needed after the last book I read. What I  enjoyed most about Ever lost was the stories’ ability to keep me captivated cover to cover. Which was a huge relief. 

The Lonely Dead, by April Henry | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

The Lonely Dead, by April Henry.

Trigger Warnings: Murder mention, Attempted Murder, Drinking Mention, Schizophrenia mention.

A killer is on the loose, and only one girl has the power to find him. But in this genre-bending YA thriller, she must first manage to avoid becoming a target herself.

For Adele, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. But she’s spent years denying her gift. When she encounters her ex best friend Tori in a shallow grave in the woods and realizes that Tori is actually dead — that gift turns into a curse. Without an alibi, Adele becomes the prime suspect in Tori’s murder. She must work with Tori’s ghost to find the real killer. But what if the killer finds Adele first?

Master mystery-write April Henry adds a chilling paranormal twist to this incredibly suspenseful young adult novel.

I am so glad that I finally got to read The Lonely Dead! I’ve been meaning to read it for a while, and it was only somewhat recently that the library I frequent had it.

Marked By Power, by Cece Rose & G. Bailey | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my review of
Marked By Power, by Cece Rose, and G. Bailey.

Marked By Power is the first book in The Marked series. 

Trigger Warnings: Attempted Kidnapping, Kidnapping, Underaged Drinking, Attempted Murder, Murder.

Is being marked with just one of the powers enough? Is being marked with six? What about being marked with all twelve?

When Mackenzie’s seventeenth birthday comes around, she planned to spend a few years at the school for the marked learning about her new powers, and then leaving and living her life. But nothing goes as planned when she attends the marking ceremony and all twelve marks appear.

Kenzie lives in a world where being marked with six powers is normal, being marked with seven or more is rare. But being marked with twelve? Well, that’s unheard of.

With learning about her new powers, the last thing Kenzie needs to worry about is falling for her hot teacher. Not to mention the unneeded distractions of the sexy twins, the jerk in all her classes, and her older brother’s best friend who finally seems to notice her.

Romance and marked powers are never a good mix, not when there are people who desire her for more than her heart.

Kenzie may not know, understand or want her twelfth power, but someone does.

This is a reverse-harem series.

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

True to form, I didn’t read the full synopsis for Marked By Power. I only read the first italicized paragraph and I was hooked.

Last of Her Name, by Jessica Khoury | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my review of

Last of Her Name, by Jessica Khoury.

Trigger Warning: Kidnapping, Attempted Murder

Sixteen years ago, rebellion swept the galaxy known as the Belt of Jewels. Every member of the royal family was murdered–down to their youngest child, Princess Anya–and the Union government rose in its place. But Stacia doesn’t think much about politics. She spends her days half-wild, rambling her father’s vineyard with her closest friends, Clio and Pol.

That all changes the day a Union ship appears in town, carrying the leader of the Belt himself, the Direktor Eminent. The Direktor claims that Princess Anya is alive, and that Stacia’s sleepy village is a den of empire loyalists, intent on hiding her. When Stacia is identified as the lost princess, her provincial home explodes into a nightmare.

Pol smuggles her away to a hidden escape ship in the chaos, leaving Clio in the hands of the Union. With everything she knows threading away into stars, Stacia sets her heart on a single mission. She will find and rescue Clio, even with the whole galaxy on her trail.

A library hardcover copy of Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury. Set against a space backdrop, with an unlit candle as a prop. 

To be honest, I had thoughts on Last of Her Name before I even sat down to read the book. I thought that there’d be an Anastasia moment in within Last of Her Name. And there was–just not how I thought it’d be. Which is totally cool! I didn’t mind it one bit.

I usually don’t read Science Fiction novels because, well, they tend to bore me with the mechanics of space travel and what-have-you. So while there was a bit of explaining done in Last of Her Name, it wasn’t done to the point where I was bored to tears. I genuinely liked learning about space-travel in this novel because of how simple the characters (honestly the author, lol) made it to be.

When I do read Science Fiction novels, I am quite judgy on the books. In fact, if Last of Her Name wasn’t as interesting as it was, I would have probably not finished Last of Her Name. Another thing that made me keep reading Last of Her Name was how fast the pace of the story is. There never seems to be a break for anyone in this novel. I loved that, actually. 

Honestly, Last of Her Name was a really cool Sci-Fi novel. Last of Her Name is super easy to read, and I loved the fact that the reader isn’t bombarded with useless information about space travel and whatnot.

What I also enjoyed about Last of Her Name was the plot twists, the character developments, and the romance. I also love love love that Last of Her Name is a stand alone novel. We get a great solid ending here people!

I give Last of Her Name, 4 stars.

Have you read Last of Her Name? What did you think of it? 

Last of Her Name was the first Jessica Khoury book that I read. I’m quite happy that I enjoyed Last of Her Name to be honest, haha.

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and Happy Reading!
Adele

Copycat, by Hannah Jayne | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my review of
Copycat by Hannah Jayne.

Trigger/Content Warning; Alcohol related Car Accident

Everyone is dying to read the latest book in the popular Gap Lake mystery series, and Addison is no exception. As the novels biggest fan, Addison is flattered when the infamously reclusive author, R.J. Rosen, contacts her, granting her inside information others would kill for.
But when the most popular girl in Addison’s high school is murdered, Addison can’t help but think that life may be imitating fiction. And as other terrifying events from the book start happening around her, Addison has to figure out how to write her own ending -and survive the story.

Before I read Copycat, I expected that there would be a lot of intrigue. I’d also thought that I would’ve enjoyed reading Copycat. I also suspected that nothing will be predictable and that Copycat would’ve held my attention until the very end…

[DNF] Ocean’s Daughter by Lisa Barton | ARC Book Review

Hello friends! Todays post is my long, overdue ARC book review of Ocean’s Daughter by Lisa Barton.

**Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the  publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.**

Trigger/Content Warning: Plane Crash Resulting in Multiple Deaths, Rape

“You must be Tina Russell,” he finally spoke. His deep voice and his step towards her filled her with renewed fear. “Welcome to Atlantis.”

A mythical story for young adult readers, Ocean’s Daughter follows the life of Tina Russell, a lonely soul searching for meaning of her existence. As she wanders Atlantis, the former place of opportunity, she notices the land is different to how it used to be, leaving Tina determined to change this…

Readers follow Tina’s journey in Atlantis as we see her reunited with her long-lost father and become intertwined in a love triangle with two handsome youths, which turns eventually dangerous…

Jealously, blackmail, magic and mayhem are suddenly everywhere in Atlantis as Tina realises the mythical kingdom will never be the same again. Will Tina ever be able to use her powers and rebuild the Atlantis she once loved? Will she ever be proud again to be known as the daughter of this mythical place?

Inspired by Anthony Horowitz, Gene Roddenberry and Phillip Pullman, this mythical tale will appeal to teenage readers that enjoy Greek mythology and fantasy fiction plus fans of romance novels.

Release Date: April 15, 2016.

I had super high hopes for Ocean’s Daughter. ….yet when I sat down to read it, all of those hopes had crashed and burned.

I’ve got be honest with you about two things: 1. I DNF’d Ocean’s Daughter at 11%. 2., as you may have guessed it already: I truly did not like the 11% that I read.