OMENS BITE By P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

May 31, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

OMENS BITE By P.C. Cast and Kristin CastOmens Bite by Kristin Cast, P.C. Cast
Series: Sisters of Salem #2
Published by Wednesday Books on 4/5/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Mythology, Supernatural, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Twin sisters, Mercy and Hunter are witches, direct descendants of the Goode family, the founders of their town. After the murder of their mother at the hands of a foul demon, they have become the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds--ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and the darkest of creatures exist.

Grief has taken a terrible toll on the twins. Rather than bringing them together, their sadness has torn them apart, driving Mercy to attempt to save the crumbling Gates without her twin and Hunter into the arms of a dangerous goddess. While Mercy looks for aid from Khenti, Guardian of the Egyptian Underworld, Hunter begins to realize the goddess she’s allied with is more monster than deity. She needs her sister’s help, but Mercy is beyond her reach on an adventure that could cost them everything, including their world.

Short and Sweet Review

Omens Bite picks up right where Spells Trouble ended. Hunter and Mercy still aren’t getting along and at this point I think it’s petty and quite obnoxious. Hunter doesn’t want to be around Mercy and blames her for making her forsake her God Tyr. Mercy thinks Hunter needs to grow up. Its funny because Mercy says some pretty crappy things to Hunter but when Hunter serves it right back Mercy starts crying and wants to know how Hunter can be so mean to her. Anyway the girls are still trying to figure out what’s going on with the gates but separately. Mercy starts spending more time with Khenti the guardian of the Egyptian underworld. While Hunter is being used by her new Goddess Amphitrite. The first half of the book was good and I really had high hopes that I would like this book more than the first but then the second half happened and I was disappointed but not surprised. Also there’s a few chapters where Kirk had his POV and honestly he is one of the worst people and he had an encounter with Mercy that just made me uncomfortable. His whole M.O. in this book is trying to convince everyone that Mercy and Hunter are witches but he just comes across as crazy. Xena the cat person is in this book and she also makes me very uncomfortable. She’s just so weird when she’s in her human form she still acts like a cat licking people and hissing its just very off-putting. If she was like Salem from Sabrina a cat that can talk I would be okay with it but her changing into a human and doing the weirdest things just… gross! So the book leaves off on a cliffhanger Mercy needs Hunters help and Hunter needs to find a way to get rid of Amphitrite. This book had a lot of potential but I was put off by the cat and Mercy and Hunter’s petty fighting. I will read the next book because I’m already so far in so what do I have to lose?

Filed Under: Reviews

I KISSED SHARA WHEELER By Casey McQuiston

May 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I KISSED SHARA WHEELER By Casey McQuistonI Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
Published by Wednesday Books on 5/3/22
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Mystery & Detective, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and the puritanical administration of Willowgrove Christian Academy. The thing that’s kept her going: winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler, the principal’s perfect progeny.

But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes.

On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush. The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her. It’ll be worth it, if Chloe can drag Shara back before graduation to beat her fair and square.

Thrown into an unlikely alliance, chasing a ghost through parties, break-ins, puzzles, and secrets revealed on monogrammed stationery, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe―probably not, but maybe―more to Shara, too.

Short and Sweet Review

Chloe Green has been in a fierce academic competition with Shara Wheeler ever since she moved to Alabama from California. Chloe wants to be valedictorian and the only thing in her way is Shara. But a month before graduation Shara kisses Chloe and disappears. Now Chloe is on the hunt for answers and learns that she isn’t the only person Shara kissed, she kissed Rory the boy next door and Smith her longtime boyfriend. The three of them have to solve the cryptic clues that Shara left behind for them in order to find her.

Well it started out with a kiss and then Shara’s disappearance and Chloe Green’s obsession with finding her. I liked the scavenger hunt aspect of the book and how Chloe became friends with Rory and Smith people she wouldn’t normally interact with. I also like how the letters brought Rory and Smith together too. Anyway that’s the extent of what I liked about Shara leaving the clues behind. Chloe becomes so obsessed with Shara that she starts to ditch her own friends and she starts to say it’s because she wants to beat Shara so bad to become valedictorian but it is a toxic obsession with trying to get Shara first and having Shara admit she likes Chloe.

There’s not much else going on in this book, it basically centers around finding Shara and graduation. We also see a lot of LGBT relationships which was nice seeing the representation. But I don’t think this book was what I expected, the scavenger hunt part was entertaining but once I got to the end I realized how creepy Chloe’s interactions with Shara were and how demanding Chloe was. Anyway this wasn’t the best book and it wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t for me.

Filed Under: Reviews

SPELLS TROUBLE By P.C. Cast AND Kristin Cast

May 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

SPELLS TROUBLE By P.C. Cast AND Kristin CastSpells Trouble by Kristin Cast, P.C. Cast
Series: Sisters of Salem #1
Published by Wednesday Books on 5/25/21
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 309
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Double double, twins spell trouble…

Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the ancient mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.

Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good.

Short and Sweet Review

Mercy and Hunter Goode are descendants of Sarah Goode their town’s founder and like their ancestors have done before them its time for them to become gate keepers. Gate keepers are the protectors of gates to different underworlds where mythological creatures rule. During a ritual the girl’s mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders that begins to plague their town. The girls vow to avenge their mother, but they also have work together in order for the gates to close again.

The book starts off with Hunter and Mercy celebrating their birthday with their friends and later that night is when they go out to do their ceremony with their mom Abigail. During the ceremony in which the girls are supposed to become gate keepers something goes wrong and Abigail is attacked by a Fenrir that came from one of the gates and is unfortunately killed. The girls realize something is wrong with the gates and with the help of Xena their cat familiar who can conveniently transform into a human try to figure out a way to fix it and fast.

So there were a lot of things I didn’t like about this book starting right after their mother was killed was when things went right off a cliff.

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~ Xena was just weird but I guess if you’re a cat person it’s to be expected. she would groom the girls, call the characters kitten and hiss at people. You would think that for being around people for as long as she has she would know how to act as a human.

~ Mercy and Kirk were a mess and unfortunately I had to read about them. Everyone could tell that Kirk was a piece of trash except for Mercy, her friends warned her, her family warned her, but she just didn’t care. The authors for some reasons thought it would be pertinent to add a sex scene which added nothing to the book. All this scene did was make me cringe, apparently it’s romantic to call your girlfriend a witchy woman (yuck). And you’re probably thinking why are you mentioning this scene in your review? Well lovely reader, for some reason this is like a big moment for Mercy. So big in fact that Kirk goes around and tells everyone and I mean EVERYONE that they had sex but when Mercy finds out she doesn’t believe it because Kirk wouldn’t do such a thing. Anyway our smart main character decides to cast a spell so the entire school can hear just how much Kirk loves her and ends up getting embarrassed when he admits that he was playing her the whole time. This might have actually have been my favorite part because she was so sure of herself that she would disregard what everyone around her was saying, so sorry sis.

~ The writing felt weird, at some points I felt like I could have been reading a middle grade book if there wasn’t a sex scene and stuff. At other times it felt like a young adult but the characters were written for a bad 2000s movie. Do teens really talk like this? I’m going to say no. Especially Mercy! What the hell is up with her dialogue? She talks like she’s from Europe but she’s most definitely not so I don’t know you guys I don’t know, maybe she’s going through an identity crisis.

~ Also Mercy is annoying. Her best friend’s father dies and she doesn’t even give her time to grieve she’s just blowing up her phone like give her some breathing room. Mercy is pushy. Writing this point I feel like both Mercy and Hunter want to be right but when there’s push back from someone all hell breaks loose and they get so mad and stomp off and have a tantrum.

~ Speaking of getting mad more than 60% of this book is Mercy and Hunter being mad at each other. How are things supposed to get done when there’s so much tension between them? When the girls do there spells they’re supposed to think of the intention behind them but I feel like that’s hard to do when you’re thinking about how you’re mad at your sister.

~ Also there’s a prophecy that was written about why the gates are deteriorating, Mercy thinks its because Hunter chose a God and Hunter thinks that Mercy is wrong so Hunter in the end picks a Goddess but things still go to hell and that’s when we’re left with a dramatic cliffhanger and Hunter running off like the angsty teen she is.

So I honestly did not want to finish this book, but I did because I’m dedicated, and how else would I have gotten all the above bullet points? This book, the characters, the plot, the pacing, everything was a hot mess and I would not recommend it at all, save your time and your money!

Filed Under: Reviews

THE MALL By Megan McCafferty

July 27, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE MALL By Megan McCaffertyThe Mall by Megan McCafferty
Published by Wednesday Books on 7/28/20
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans...

Short and Sweet

Cassie has everything planned out, she’s going to work at Parkway Center Mall after graduation until she goes off to college in New York with her boyfriend. But sometimes plans don’t always pan out and now Cassie has to reevaluate everything.

Characters

Cassie: Cassie is our main character and she’s smart a bit of a know it all. There’s a lot going on in her life, she just recovered from mono, her boyfriend has been cheating on her, and her parents are separating. She snaps on people a lot but I just think its because of all the things she’s going through, but sometimes she did go too far. I did like Cassie as a character though she knew what she wanted and she went for it.

Drea: Drea and Cassie used to be best friends in middle school and then they had a falling out so having to work with your ex friend is awkward and tense. I loved Drea she’s your typical Jersey girl all about the fashion and big hair. Drea loves fashion and has big dreams to start her own clothing line. There’s a lot more to Drea, she has a tough exterior but she’s still sensitive. My favorite thing about Drea is her laugh I could just hear it and it was hilarious and made me smile.

Romance

Cassie and Troy: Troy and Cassie have been dating for two years. They work at America’s Best Cookie together and a few weeks will be leaving to New York to go to college. Unfortunately Troy is a piece of trash and has been cheating on Cassie while she’s been recovering from Mono! Cassie had to find out the hard way because the other girl also worked at the mall.

Cassie and Sam: Sam works at the record shop and Cassie and Sams first interaction wasn’t the best. But over time they start hanging out more. I think these two would have been better off as friends especially because Cassie is leaving soon.

My Thoughts

~ Going into this I didn’t really know what to expect because the synopsis doesn’t really offer a lot, but I was pleasantly surprised.

~ Cassie was supposed to work at America’s Best Cookie with Troy but everything changes when she finds out he’s been cheating on her so obviously working there is not an option. Cassie ends up getting a job at Bellarosa Boutique.

~ Bellarosa is owned by Gia and her daughter Drea also works there. Drea and Cassie used to be friends so this job situation is also a bit awkward. I loved the mother daughter duo of Gia and Drea I could just picture them, like I said Jersey girls!

~ Anyway there’s a bit of the mystery at the mall that involves Cabbage Patch Kids, a little weird but I liked it. The girls had to find Cabbage Patch Kids which also had maps which would eventually lead them to a treasure.

~ Cassie and Drea used to be friends, so I liked seeing them grow closer together over the course of the book.

~ I loved the setting it was so realistic and hearing about all the stores, I also liked seeing how Cassie tried to avoid certain places because of the people she didn’t want to see.

Overall

In a time where social distancing and quarantining are a thing reading a book about the mall was great. I felt like I was there even if it does take place in the 90’s. I loved hearing about all the stores and seeing the interactions Drea and Cassie had with other shop owners and customers. I loved the little mystery that’s involved too! This book is funny and cute and such a great read for the summer!

Filed Under: Reviews

IN ANOTHER LIFE By C.C. Hunter

March 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

IN ANOTHER LIFE By C.C. HunterIn Another Life by C.C Hunter
Published by Wednesday Books on 3/26/19
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn’t scar her, and she’s had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents’ marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her.

When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they're kindred spirits. Until Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster parents lost years ago, and he’s determined to figure out the truth.

As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don’t add up, and the more strange things start happening. Why is Chloe’s adoption a secret that people would kill for?


Short and Sweet

When Chloe was three years old she was adopted and became Chloe Holden and she’s had a pretty good life. Fourteen years later Chloe’s parents are separated, she’s left her friends behind and her mother has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Now Chloe is the new girl in school and she has met Cash Colton. Cash takes an interest in Chloe because she looks like the daughter his foster parents lost. Now Chloe’s past before the adoption is starting to haunt her and she wants the details to her adoption, the more Chloe learns about her adoption she starts to realize something isn’t right.

Characters

Chloe: Chloe is just trying to live life as normally as she can. Her mother is in remission and she has to be the parent to her mother and make sure she’s okay. Chloe also has a lot of resentment towards her father because she feels like her just left her and her mother. Anyway I thought Chloe was an okay character she cares a lot about the people closest to her. Chloe was indecisive she wanted to find out more about the adoption but she would change her mind, or if she did end up being the kidnapped child she wasn’t sure if she wanted the truth to come out.

Cash: Cash has had a hard life, his dad would involve Cash in his criminal activities, this has obviously scarred Cash and has made him feel like he’s had to prove everyone wrong and prove that he’s not his dad. Cash is really hard on himself. Thinking back Cash was also an okay character he could have been better, I didn’t really like how he treated the Fullers they just really wanted to involve him in their family but sometimes he was just so short with them and would leave when they tried to have a conversation with him.

Romance

Chloe and Cash: So it would seem like the main reason that these two got together was because Cash was trying to figure out if Chloe was actually Emily, but he didn’t drop that bombshell on her until later so I suppose that they had feelings for each other. They did spend a lot of time together. It was a an instalove thing and they did say I love you and they didn’t even know each other for that long.

My Thoughts

~ We get to read from both Chloe and Cash’s POVs, I didn’t have a favorite one to read from I feel like both were okay and both had their flaws. Chloe had a lot of drama surrounding her parents and Cash was obsessed with finding out about Chloe and like I said I didn’t like his interactions with the Fullers.

~ Cash recognizes Chloe from an age progression photo that his foster parents had because they never gave up hope and at first he thinks Chloe is trying to scam them but he learns that she has no idea that she could have been kidnapped.

~ More about Chloe and her parents. Chloe’s mom is depressed and is in a funk and is also very bitter she talks a lot of trash about Chloe’s dad. Because Chloe is around her mom so much she also gets annoyed when thinking about her dad and will also start trash talking him but to his face. This all was a little too much for me this happened a lot in the book there was just so much bitterness when it came to her parents.

~ Chloe befriends her neighbor Lindsay. I loved Lindsay she was a good friend and was there for Chloe and was someone she could go to talk to I honestly wish there was more of her in the book.

~ So about 60% through the book that’s when things start to go down. Chloe and Cash are learning more about her past and things start to get more suspenseful. We also get a new POV and this time its the culprit.

~ I could not stand the culprit I thought he was too impulsive and paranoid. The culprit is one of those people who has a gun and shoots it but not because they needs to but just because they have a gun. The culprit was honestly so annoying I couldn’t stand it.

~ I wanted more from the ending I just felt like there could have been more surrounding the culprit and the adoption or kidnapping but everything just ended so quickly and I didn’t like it.

Overall

In Another Life wasn’t what I was expecting it to be I thought there would be more of a mystery aspect to it but there wasn’t much it was more like how did this happen. I think the book could have been better, the ending wasn’t that great either everything was wrapped up but I was just left wanting more. I love C.C. Hunter and her books but this one isn’t one I would say I loved.

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SADIE By Courtney Summers

January 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

SADIE By Courtney SummersSadie by Courtney Summers
Published by Wednesday Books on 9/4/18
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.


Short and Sweet Review

“And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl.”

Sadie’s world revolves around her younger sister Mattie, Mattie is her only sibling and she basically raised Mattie herself, so when Mattie is murdered Sadie’s world is destroyed and she becomes obsessed with finding the killer. On the other hand we have West McCray who is a radio personality, West has been asked by Sadie’s surrogate grandmother to track her down before she ends up getting herself killed too. The book goes back and forth between Sadie and West’s POV, I actually thought it was pretty interesting because we see the leads that Sadie is following and then we have West who is starting from nothing and is a few steps behind Sadie. Sadie’s POV is a normal POV in first person but West’s POV is in more of an interview style because this story is being told on his podcast, I really liked his POV it gave more of an insight on the people Sadie came across and they were more open with him than they were with Sadie. I liked Sadie, she had a rough childhood and now all she wants to do is avenge her sister and she was smart about it to and she was pretty good and following leads to get her where she needed to be. So… the book has an open ending and I’m just not sure what to think about it, its okay and then again its not because I want to know what happened. The book does touch on sensitive subjects like pedophilia, and sexual abuse. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it in one setting I was interested to see if Sadie would succeed in finding her sister’s killer and if West would succeed in finding Sadie. It was a good book and I can tell why people are raving about it, it is a book I would recommend so check it out!

“Girls go missing all the time. And ignorance is bliss.”

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Filed Under: Reviews

THIS HEART OF MINE By C.C Hunter

June 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THIS HEART OF MINE By C.C HunterThis Heart of Mine by C.C Hunter
Published by Wednesday Books on 2/27/18
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie is heartless. An artificial heart in a backpack is keeping her alive. However, this route only offers her a few years. And with her rare blood type, a transplant isn’t likely. Living like you are dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when a heart becomes available, she’s given a second chance at life. Except Leah discovers who the donor was ― a boy from her school ― and they’re saying he killed himself. Plagued with dreams since the transplant, she realizes she may hold the clues to what really happened.

Matt refuses to believe his twin killed himself. When Leah seeks him out, he learns they are both having similar dreams and he’s certain it means something. While unraveling the secrets of his brother’s final moments, Leah and Matt find each other, and a love they are terrified to lose. But life and even new hearts don’t come with guarantees. Who knew living, took more courage than dying?


Short and Sweet

Leah MacKenzie is being kept alive by an artificial heart that she has to carry around in a backpack, but Leah gets a second chance at life when a heart becomes available and she gets a transplant. The only problem is Leah learns that her new heart is from a boy that went to school with her and they’re saying he killed himself but with the heart came dreams and these dreams are telling Leah otherwise. Matt knows that his brother Eric didn’t kill himself and he’ll do anything to prove it. Matt and Eric were twins so he knows something is wrong with the assumption that Eric would commit suicide. Matt is also having the same dreams that Leah is, which brings them together to learn what actually happened the night Eric died.

Characters

Leah: One of our main characters. Leah has been through a lot in life and even though she has a new heart she still worries about it rejecting and hurting those around her. Leah is starting to learn how to live again after being home for so long and not going to school and being in a routine. I loved seeing how much Leah progressed in this book and her journey. It was hard for her but I think she started to realize that the people around her really care about her and that she should embrace it instead of push it away.

Matt: Our other main character. Matt is dealing with a lot the death of his brother is taking a toll on him, especially since they lost their dad to suicide. I liked Matt though he did get frustrated a lot during the course of the book but it was understandable.

Romance

Leah and Matt: So these two have always had a crush on each other but they were always dating other people and they didn’t really talk to each other much. Then they’re brought together because Leah feels the need to tell Matt that she got his brother’s heart and then they bond over the fact that they’re having the same dreams about Eric.  I liked this paring they really liked and cared about each other and I mean it seemed like the relationship was moving fast and I guess that could be due to the fact that they already knew how much they liked one another.

My Thoughts

~ I loved seeing how Leah developed over the course of the book. She’s trying to figure out who she is and she’s bold and not afraid to take risk because she knows how short life is.

~ The mystery aspect of this book is interesting. I wasn’t expecting it but it worked well, and I liked seeing how it all came together: the dreams and the feelings that Matt and Leah would have when someplace would remind them of Eric.

~ Leah and Matt, put themselves in danger when they were investigating and it worried me but Matt was so sure that there was more to Erics death than a suicide.

~ I also loved Leah’s parents and her best friend Brandy they were always there for her when she needed them and they cared about her.

~ I think it was interesting to read about Leah and her heart because I haven’t read a lot of books where a character needs a heart and it made me curious to read about artificial hearts and transplants.

Overall

This Heart of Mine was captivating and held my attention. It was an easy read that took me through a rollercoaster of emotions, there were times when it was sweet and charming, funny, and there were times when it was sad and serious. I think C.C did an amazing job writing about the topics covered in this book and I would definitely recommend it, it’s one of the most enjoyable contemporaries that I’ve read recently.

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BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE HEART By Amanda Hocking

March 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE HEART By Amanda HockingBetween the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking
Series: Valkyrie #1
Published by Wednesday Books on 1/2/18
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Mythology, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

When the fate of the world is at stake
Loyalties will be tested

As one of Odin's Valkyries, Malin's greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. But when she unearths a secret that could unravel the balance of all she knows, Malin along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend must decide where their loyalties lie. And if helping the blue-eyed boy Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk―to the world and her heart.


Short and Sweet

Malin is a valkyrie and her responsibility is to send immortals back to the underworld when it’s their time to go. Everything changes for Malin when a mysterious boy she’s never met shows up at her front door claiming that her mother didn’t send an immortal back. With this new revelation Malin must now try to find the immortal herself, send him to the underworld, and make things right.

Characters

Malin: Our main character and she’s a valkyrie. I liked Malin she was a strong female character and was determined to do her job as a valkyrie. Mal is independent and when she learns about her mothers mistake she takes it upon herself to try to fix it.

Oona: Malins best friend. Oona is a mortal but she is also a sorceress in training. Oona is caring and she always tries to look out for Malin’s well-being.

Asher: The son of the valkyrie. Asher’s mother was killed by the immortal Marlow let live. Now Asher is looking for justice for his mother.

Quinn: Another valkyrie and Malin’s ex-girlfriend. Quinn still cares about Malin and she shows it with her actions.

Marlow: Malin’s mother, who is also a valkyrie. This isn’t a normal mother and daughter relationship, they’re on a first name basis and there isn’t much affection between the two.

Romance

Asher and Malin: I feel like this was more of a physical attraction more then anything else. But they seemed to like each other and their feelings for each other grew as the book went on and in the end Malin truly cared for Asher.

Quinn and Malin: So this one is strange mainly because these two were already broken up. There were a lot of awkward encounters mainly because Quinn still has feelings for Malin but Malin doesn’t feel the same and she just kept pushing Quinn away but at other times she would give into Quinn. I didn’t like this at all.

My Thoughts

~ It took me a while to get into this book as I felt like there wasn’t much action going on in the beginning of the book.

~ I loved when all the action began to take place which was halfway through the book when I got to that point I couldn’t put the book down I was so interested to see what would happen next.

~ The plot was well played out, I liked that Malin had to try to find Tamerlane (the immortal) and find out that he wasn’t going to be as easy to send back as she thought.

~ My favorite part of the book was when all the characters banded together to help Malin find Tamerlane and send him to the underworld.

~ There were a lot of twist in this book that kept me wondering what would happen next.

~ I felt that there was a lot of character growth with Malin, she’s still just a valkyrie in training she doesn’t have her license yet, but she has to endure things she probably didn’t think she would have to deal with so soon.

~ I enjoyed reading this book, I don’t think I’ve read any other books that have valkyries involved and I liked the mythology aspect of the book.

Overall

I liked this book a lot more then I expected I would! It definitely helped get me out of my reading slump, my only regret was that I didn’t finish it sooner! This is a duology and the second book comes out next month, and I plan on reading it to find out how this series ends! I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun book that has mythology and a strong female lead.

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