REVIEW: All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher's Summary:

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

My Thoughts:

I've been a Stiefvater fan for a long time. I had a difficult time engaging with the story and the characters. Part of this is the audiobook's fault. It was boring and in my opinion, pretty terrible. There was no 'life' to the narrative performance. 

The book's strengths remain Stiefvater's writing ability. Her attention to detail and narrative building are superb. I understand that the book has taken some criticism as she delves into writing from the POV of people of color for the first time. I did not note instances that would take offense but I would leave that as a judgement for others. What is positive is seeing more characters of diversity in YA literature at all. 

I was less enthused with the story itself. I found it a bit too cerebral to peak the interest of a wide scope of teen readers. While I always appreciate Stiefvater's ability to push young readers beyond the predictable and stereotypical books so commonly publish, this was might be too outside the box. I couldn't connect and just did not care about finishing the story at all. 

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars (it was almost a DNF for me and my personal rating was a harsh 1 star)

REVIEW: The Shadow Revolution by Clay & Susan Griffith

As fog descends, obscuring the gas lamps of Victorian London, werewolves prowl the shadows of back alleys. But they have infiltrated the inner circles of upper-crust society as well. Only a handful of specially gifted practitioners are equipped to battle the beasts. Among them are the roguish Simon Archer, who conceals his powers as a spell-casting scribe behind the smooth veneer of a dashing playboy; his layabout mentor, Nick Barker, who prefers a good pub to thrilling heroics; and the self-possessed alchemist Kate Anstruther, who is equally at home in a ballroom as she is on a battlefield.

The Shadow Revolution marks the beginning of the Crown & Key series from Clay and Susan Griffith. Set in Victorian London, the novel dabbles in magic, mystery and the perfect amount of entice steampunk. The audiobook held my attention as the story progressed.

Loved the spin on the classic werewolves in London! Definitely a multitude of creepy villains and other monsters.  

The characters are equally intriguing and sometimes sassy. I'm curious about the 'key' and unlocking the secrets that link Simon and Kate together for the subsequent books.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser

Amy Lennox doesn't know quite what to expect when she and her mother pick up and leave Germany for Scotland, heading to her mother's childhood home of Lennox House on the island of Stormsay.


Amy's grandmother, Lady Mairead, insists that Amy must read while she resides at Lennox House—but not in the usual way. Amy learns that she is a book jumper, able to leap into a story and interact with the world inside. As thrilling as Amy's new power is, it also brings danger: someone is stealing from the books she visits, and that person may be after her life. Teaming up with fellow book jumper Will, Amy vows to get to the bottom of the thefts.

Being a book jumper is possibly my greatest dream. I'd love for that to be my superpower!  This thematic concept is not new but I always enjoy each author's spin on the idea.  What would it be like to hop in to Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book or to be buddies with Sherlock Holmes.

Good pacing and narrative development.  I'd definitely recommend this for readers who enjoyed Ink Heart, The Invisible Library or Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Highlighted Reviews, November 2017

Welcome back to the Point.

Noe Lee made an enemy of Snowden Stark when she robbed his apartment. In major trouble with some bad people after her, Noe has no one else to turn to for help. 

Stark did not expect to see the tiny, mighty homeless thief, and his first reaction is refusal. However, Stark has second thoughts, but Noe is kidnapped and tortured before he can help her.  To right his wrongs, Stark becomes invested in trying to get her back safe and sound. 

True to Crownover's past characters, both Stark and Noe have their fair share of personal demons. Stark is good with computers, but not necessarily people. While he's super sexy and a bit of a geek, he also has guilt from his past and has kept his emotions buried so he is more machine than man. But something about Noe and his guilt from refusing her brings out more of his emotions.

Noe has had her own painful past. She is a survivor, and is strong, smart, and resourceful. She is a talented techie in her own right so can appreciate Stark's skills. She is good at running and disappearing, but this time she is in way over her head. What they both learn from each other is that sometimes the only solution is to not hide any longer and to face obstacles head on.  They find strength in each other.

I loved Dignity just as I do all Crownover's book.  Excellent characters with depth, intrigue, suspense and detail plus good steamy bit!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Saving It by Monica Murphy is a cute young adult romance about a girl helping her best friend find someone to help him lose his virginity but instead finds themselves falling for each other instead. The novel is cute and angsty if a bit predictable. 

Eden and Josh are bestie who haven't really thought about each other as anything more than friends until they do. Changing emotions set new jealousies into motion, invite drama and lead to more than one falling out before the couple can admit their feelings.

I liked the book. It was a good, quick, easy read. Appropriate for a teen reader and those transitioning toward the new adult genre.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Never challenge a cowboy to a little naughty competition… 

A flirty game of sexual truth or dare between best man, Wynton Grant, and maid of honor, Melissa Lockhart during their BFF’s wedding reception results in a steamy hookup. 

But their plans for a one and done change when a family crisis leaves Wyn shorthanded at the Grant Ranch. Experienced horsewoman Mel volunteers to help out and gets way more than she bargained for living under the same roof as the sexy rancher. Playing house has never appealed to Wyn…until now. 

James never disappoints. This is another steamy but well written and developed novella from the Blacktop Cowboys series.  I liked Mel and Wyn, although knowing so many people with diabetes, I wanted to smack Mel more than once for her secrets that could have killed her.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help.

Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind.

But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.

And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool . . . 

BOTTOM LINE

The premise may sound intriguing but I pretty much hated this book. I couldn't engage with any of the characters.  The change in POV each chapter makes it difficult to follow and I couldn't remember the laundry list of characters and how they connected.  I didn't feel bad for any of the dearly departed.

I'm not alone. The entire book club felt the same. 

All in all, not my cup of tea and I won't plan or reading any of her other works.

Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The Shadow Land is an engrossing novel that spans the past and the present and unearths the dark secrets of Bulgaria, a beautiful and haunted country. 

A young American woman, Alexandra Boyd, has traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria, hoping that life abroad will salve the wounds left by the loss of her beloved brother. Soon after arriving in this elegant East European city, however, she helps an elderly couple into a taxi and realizes too late that she has accidentally kept one of their bags. Inside she finds an ornately carved wooden box engraved with a name: Stoyan Lazarov. Raising the hinged lid, she discovers that she is holding an urn filled with human ashes. 

As Alexandra sets out to locate the family and return this precious item, she will first have to uncover the secrets of a talented musician who was shattered by oppression and she will find out all too quickly that this knowledge is fraught with its own danger. 

I enjoyed this engrossing tale, especially the audiobook. It was a surprising departure to most fiction I pick up but I was a fan of Kostova's The Historian, so I thought I'd give this a try.  I'm glad I did.

The attention to detail, slow build of the narrative, complex characters and plenty of surprise revelations had more enthralled with the story.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Runebinder by Alex R Kahler

*Thank you to Netgalley & Harlequin Teen for an ARC in exchange for a review*

When magic returned to the world, it could have saved humanity, but greed and thirst for power caused mankind's downfall instead. Now once-human monsters called Howls prowl abandoned streets, their hunger guided by corrupt necromancers and the all-powerful Kin. Only Hunters have the power to fight back in the unending war, using the same magic that ended civilization in the first place.

But they are losing...

Tenn is a Hunter, resigned to fight even though hope is nearly lost. When he is singled out by a seductive Kin named Tomás and the enigmatic Hunter Jarrett, Tenn realizes he's become a pawn in a bigger game. One that could turn the tides of war. But if his mutinous magic and wayward heart get in the way, his power might not be used in favor of mankind.

If Tenn fails to play his part, it could cost him his friends, his life…and the entire world.

Runebinder is an exciting trip into a post apocolyptic fantasy world steeped in magic, cruel villains and one young man's journey to learn more about himself and his role within this tumultuous new world. Teen readers will find this fast paced with intriguing characters and an identifiable LGBTQ male protagonist. 

Excellent world-building. If I had to find one fault, it would be in some of the transitions. On one hand, the disconnect could mirror the jarring world presented; however, I wanted a bit more fluidity during certain parts.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Bourbon Kings #2 & #3 by J.R. Ward

The Bradfords hold the upmost tier to high society and a bourbon empire; however, the apparent suicide of the family patriarch is starting to look more and more like murder…

No one is above suspicion—especially the eldest Bradford son, Edward. The bad blood between him and his father is known far and wide, and he is aware that he could be named a suspect. As the investigation into the death intensifies, he keeps himself busy at the bottom of a bottle—as well as with his former horse trainer’s daughter. Meanwhile, the family’s financial future lies in the perfectly manicured hands of a business rival, a woman who wants Edward all to herself.

A lot happened in Book 2, but I found the pacing and the whole drama of it all too much. Honestly, it was like being stuck in an a combination between a Dynasty and a Dallas episode. Who shot JR?--er, no what happened to William?

I don't love this family, the setting or the characters but I kept reading because I want to know what happened and IF anyone in this familly might have a happily ever after.

The audiobook was a HUGE disappointment. I really disliked the narrative performance and found the use of character voice inflection distracting and a bit silly.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

At first, the death of William Baldwine, the head of the Bradford family, was ruled a suicide. But then his eldest son and sworn enemy, Edward, came forward and confessed to what was, in fact, a murder. Now in police custody, Edward mourns not the disintegration of his family or his loss of freedom . . . but the woman he left behind.

Lane Baldwine was supposed to remain in his role of playboy, forever in his big brother Edward’s shadow. Instead he has become the new head of the family and the company. Convinced that Edward is covering for someone else, Lane and his true love, Lizzie King, go on the trail of a killer—only to discover a secret that is as devastating as it is game-changing.

As Lane rushes to discover the truth, and Sutton finds herself irresistibly drawn to Edward in spite of his circumstances, the lives of everyone at Easterly will never be the same again.

The final stretch! I was relieved to find out whodunnit but albeit surprised by the big reveal. I won't spoil it for those planning to read but it was a bit of a jolt. I'd figured out much of the other big reveal toward the end. It was nice to see Richard get the boot and for Gin to have an epiphany.  Lane and Edward were less interesting for me and I really felt that Max wasn't done justice with the storytelling.

Overall, it was just an 'okay' series for me. I prefer Ward's take on the supernatural to Kentucky bourbon.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: The Trouble with Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones

*Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for a review*

Ever since Reyes escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley accidentally trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.

Throw in helping Cookie's daughter Amber and Quiten's start-up P.I. business and keeping the Vatican from snooping into the existence and whereabouts of Charley and Reyes' daughter. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries.

Can Charley bring Reyes back from the brink? Can she discover the killer in time? Can she recover from breaking the unforgivable rule????

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave is another wickedly funny and hot fantasy ride with plenty of intrigue, characters we love and great storytelling. Narrator Lorelei King does another stellar job with the audiobook. You'll laugh, you'll cry!

Quite possibly the best moment of the entire series is homeless 'stripper' Cookie. I laughed so hard!

The ending had me reeling and waiting with anticipation for the next book!

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a repurposed church, newly baptized Dollar Voss. The once cancer-stricken mother lives in the basement, the father is married to the mother’s former nurse, the little half-brother isn’t allowed to do or eat anything fun, and the eldest siblings are irritatingly perfect. Then, there’s Merit who collects trophies she hasn’t earned and secrets her family forces her to keep. She's sarcastic and withdrawn, feeling outshined by others in her family.

While browsing the local antiques shop for her next trophy, she finds Sagan. His wit and unapologetic idealism disarm and spark renewed life into her—until she discovers that he’s completely unavailable. Merit retreats deeper into herself, watching her family from the sidelines when she learns a secret that no trophy in the world can fix.

Fed up with the lies, Merit decides to shatter the happy family illusion that she’s never been a part of before leaving them behind for good. When her escape plan fails, Merit is forced to deal with the staggering consequences of telling the truth and losing the one boy she loves.

Hoover does what she does best, write about interesting characters who wriggle under the readers' skin and make an impact with their biting humor, significant and unique world struggles. Merit is uniquely likeable in her own unlikeable way. Readers feel for her but want to shake her at the same time. 

Without Merit itself fits as a new adult romance/YA crossover book. I'd recommend it for YA readers transitioning to adulthood but have liked Sarah Dessen, Katie McGarry and other similar writers.

I enjoyed this wacky, dysfunctional family despite the book's imperfections.  There's a lot going on here including themes like mental illness, sexuality, suicide, abuse, even the Syrian refugee crisis while meshing it all with a romance plot. Sure, there are imperfections but I found this to be an engrossing, quick read. The audiobook narration by Candace Thaxton was excellent.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. Everyone there wants something…and everyone has something to lose...

Leda Cole - whose flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson - whose beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers - whose job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will this new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi - a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy for an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

 Avery Fuller - the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Amid breathtaking advancement and high-tech luxury, five teenagers struggle to find their place at the top of the world. Unfortunately, once at the top, the only way to go is down.  The Thousandth Floor is a futuristic Gossip Girl with a hefty dose of underage drinking, drug use, profanity, some domestic abuse, sexual promiscuity and allusion to a rape.  

Beautiful, eye catching cover.  

I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. The characters were interesting with enough of a well woven narrative full of good conflict, if a tad predictable. As expected, the superficiality of a few characters makes them difficult to stomach in large doses but work with the overall story. I enjoyed the world building of this all inclusive high rise and the idea of a class system beholden to the floor you live upon. 

The structure and cliff hanger of the ending remind me a lot of Big Little Lies. I'm intrigued enough to read book two: The Dazzling Heights.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars