Review: Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare

Title: Say Yes to the Marquess (Castles Ever After, #2) 

Author: Tessa Dare

Rating: 4 Stars

Say Yes to the Marquess is easily one of my favorite historical romance novels, right up there with Courtney Milan's Unraveled. I often struggle with historical fiction because every series is composed of a series of companion novels--and that, frankly, bores me. Quite simply put, I am not suited to such a dull series of companion novels. I enjoy the secondary characters to a love story well enough but, when I find out that there's an entire novel devoted to their romance, I either envision that scenario myself--so much so that the actual novel pales since it doesn't follow the structure in my mind--or I simply fail to connect with that character on a level stronger than "secondary character." Thus, with historical romances, I wind up having to read every single novel an author writes since I never fall in love with an entire series. It's always two books from their debut quartet, one book from their sophomore trilogy, and a novella from their current assignment; I will be the first to admit, it's a chore. After all, it's not the authors I love but the romances and if I'm not on board with the characters, I drift off for their epic love story.

With the Castles Ever After Series, though, each companion novel is composed of a completely different heroine. The only similarity between these novels which cause them to be bunched together is the fact that their setting is at a castle and, for each heroine, this castle represents something completely unique and revelatory about their personalities. In Romancing the Duke, the predecessor to Say Yes to the Marquess, the castle was--literally--the fairy tale the protagonist dreamt of and never attained. In Say Yes to the Marquess, though, it represents freedom to Clio, an intelligent woman who has waited eight years for her engagement to Piers Brandom to culminate in marriage. When Clio's uncle passes away and leaves his castle to Clio, she recognizes that she no longer needs marriage to support her; she has a castle. But Rafe Brandon, the notorious younger brother of Piers and his complete opposite in every way--a rake and prizefighter where Piers is a diplomat--won't let Clio call off the engagement. Piers is finally returning to England and Rafe is determined that Clio will marry. But years of restrained passion lie between Clio and Rafe and in Rafe's determination to make Clio marry, he just may want her to marry him instead.

Say Yes to the Marquess is the perfect slow-burn, forbidden, friends-to-lovers romance. Clio and Rafe grew up together and have always had an easy rapport between them. Though they have had little contact over the years, particularly since Rafe grew estranged from his family, the situation at hand has them in closer proximity than ever before. It is impossible not to love the relationship between Clio and Rafe from the start. Both wear facades; her of societal gentility, him of rakishness. In reality, though, Clio isn't the perfect gentlewoman others believe her to be for she aspires for more beyond the confines of society; of a marriage with love, of freedom to run her own business, of a life spent pleasing herself, not others. Similarly, Rafe hides behind a tough, manly facade despite the fact that all he wants is the love and affection denied to him as a child. Clio and Rafe understand one another in ways others do not and that deep-seated comprehension, alongside their burning sexual tension and the impending marriage of Clio and Piers looming ahead all makes for a highly entertaining read.

What's more, Say Yes to the Marquess is one of the most empowering novels I've come across. When asked if there is another in her life, Clio replies that yes, there is--her. Clio yearns to put herself above all else for once in her life and her journey to attaining that confidence--confidence not only in her abilities to provide for herself but confidence in her curvaceous figure as well--is deftly handled and inspiring. If there's one thing that the Adult Romance genre excels in, it is in writing headstrong feminist heroines who fall in love with equally strong male counterparts who, above all else, respect not only them, but their dreams as well. (If only we could see more of that in every other genre too...) Nevertheless, Say Yes to the Marquess is another resounding triumph for Tessa Dare. Truly, I cannot recommend this series enough.

Review: Iced by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Iced (Dani O'Malley, #1; Fever, #6) 

Author: Karen Marie Moning

Rating: 2 Stars

Iced is a shockingly disappointing installment from Karen Marie Moning. Honestly, I can't believe this is the same author who wrote the first five books of the Fever Series, charming readers with her impeccable plotting and honest narration. While there are a plethora of issues with Iced, many of which have been discussed at length by earlier readers, the crux of my problem with this novel is not Dani or her narration; it's the flimsy plot, the unnecessary glimpses into the minds of characters who offer nothing to the tale, and the cheap tactics by which Moning distinguishes the "good" guys from the "bad" ones.

Although Iced could have easily been set a few years after the end of Shadowfever, mostly to give us a narrator who isn't fourteen-years-old, this novel takes places shortly after the events of the first five Fever books. Dani, now estranged from Mac, is captured and blackmailed brutally by Ryodan who forces her to help him discover how--and why--parts of Dublin are slowly being iced over. If it wasn't bad enough that Dani is being bullied by Ryodan, she has to contend with Christian, whose transformation into an Unseelie Prince seems to be tampering with his sanity, all while trying to enjoy her childhood with the people she actually wants like Dancer, a genius kid who is one of Dani's only true friends.

While Dani's narration can take some time to get used to, I have to admit that I actually like her. Seriously, I have nothing but respect for Dani. She's young, talented, and thrown into a world where she's the smallest fish--not to mention the fact that Mac, who was like an older sister to her, has now abandoned her. Dani may be reckless and naive, but she does the best she can in the circumstances she's thrown in. Moreover, she keeps a clear mind and unlike other characters in the novel (*ahem*, Jo!) she is able to see Ryodan and Christian for what they are. Ryodan, for all the swooning readers do over him, is, plain and simple, a bully. He secures Dani's cooperation by blackmailing her and hiring Jo as a result of that transaction and, for that, Dani detests him. She does her best to maintain her freedom and sense of independence and, in doing so, often violates Ryodan's many rules which allow him to keep an eye on her. Yet, despite the fact that Dani tells everyone who will listen that Ryodan is bad news, out of everyone else in this book, he's possibly the adult that treats her best. Which, honestly, is despicable. Ryodan is likable simply because in comparison to Christian, who is a full-fledged pedophile, he is a saint. Ryodan doesn't sexualize Dani and though he is possessive of her, he never crosses the lines that Christian does.

Speaking of Christian, I feel genuinely sorry to see him have sunk this low. Back in the day, Christian was hot. I mean, we all swooned over this guy. Now? Ick, you can't get me out of Christian's head any faster! Moning includes one too many chapters from Christian's perspective and it's beyond disturbing. Not only is Christian obsessed with Dani, thinking about her constantly and trying to convince her that someday they will be together, but even the actions he completes that have nothing to do with Dani are disturbing. I just feel sad that Moning felt compelled to mold him into a sick, genuinely reviling character. Thus, in comparison to Christian, I can completely see why readers are falling head-over-heels for Ryodan. I'd prefer anyone to Christian. Yet, that doesn't negate the fact that Ryodan isn't exactly Mr. Nice Guy and though I suspect I might grow to like him more as the series progresses--after all, that was the case with Barrons, too--I'm not holding my breath.

Characters aside, Iced is a novel composed of filler pages. Not much happens in such a hefty volume and the fact that Ryodan requires Dani's help is a flimsy excuse for a plot to be built upon. It isn't until the last hundred, or so, pages that the plot finally picks up and Iced ends with a bang. Hopefully, this means that Burned will be far more entertaining and far less cringe-worthy. At any rate, I'm hoping that a healthy dose of Mac and Barrons can reclaim the magic of the Fever Series. While Moning's novels often deal with brutal, horrific themes at least they've had an adult protagonist cope with those situations. Dani, at fourteen, is just too young a character and to expect her to be on par with Mac, physically and particularly emotionally, isn't fair. What's more, I found that Mac's story is an emotionally compelling one: her sister has been murdered and Mac wants revenge. With Iced, the motivations feel cheap and lack depth. Dani's backstory certainly pulls heartstrings but her past has little to do with her present.

I knew, from the mixed reviews--many of them unhappy ones--that Iced wasn't going to be a favorite of mine. I just hoped, foolishly perhaps, that knowing what to expect would make the experience of reading this far more tolerable. I guess...not. Iced is slow, torturous, and not what I would expect after a five fast-paced, action-filled novels with revelations and plot twists around every corner. Needless to say, if Moning plans to keep fans reading this spin-off, Burned will need to be a really good read.

Update: Burned is good! You can read my mini-review of it HERE. 

Romance Mini-Reviews: Burned by Karen Marie Morning, Still the One by Jill Shalvis, The Kraken King by Meljean Brooks, and Crushed by Lauren Layne

Title: Burned (Fever, #7) 

Author: Karen Marie Moning 

Rating: 4 Stars

Burned hasn't been the most popular book off-late. It seems as if every day I open my Goodreads homepage to yet another slew of negative reviews of this novel, alongside the slightly hesitant positive ones. Despite not enjoying Iced, though, I really did like Burned. It's funny, it's light, and it's entertaining--frankly, I don't ask for much more from my Urban Fantasy. Granted, the synopsis is utterly misleading in that the "drama" between Mac and Barrons is low-key and of little worry, but the new characters introduced in this installment have me salivating to find out where Moning takes this series next. I agree with a lot of the points reviewers have brought up about why this novel isn't nearly quite so good--it takes the easy-way-out in some instances, Mac's PoV isn't always necessary, it goes to great lengths to paint morally ambiguous characters are purely good--but I also didn't feel as if these faults were wholly detrimental to the plot line.

Burned is a fast-paced read, one that even I could get into despite my piles of pending work, and re-visiting these beloved characters was a treat. I'm confident Moning has a plan for the rest of this series and I'm prepared to stick along to find out what it is. After all, if she could smooth away the rough edges of Iced then, surely, she can do anything.

Title: Still the One (Animal Magnetism, #6) 

Author: Jill Shalvis 

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: April 7th, 2015

Still the One is, unfortunately, the most disappointing installment I've read in the Animal Magnetism series. Darcy and AJ, the romantic leads at the forefront of this novel, are fascinating characters in their own right. A travel photographer for National Geographic, Darcy has always been a dare-devil, living life to the max. When she meets with an accident that leaves her unable to walk until after intense physical therapy, the course of her life is forever altered. AJ, her physical therapist and brother's best friend, has been there with her through thick-and-thin. So, of course, when she throws herself at him and he rejects her, Darcy is shattered and determined to move on. But AJ is quickly realizing that when it comes to Darcy, he made a huge mistake, and now, he wants her back. At any cost.

Shalvis has an easy way of forcing her characters into your heart and that is no less apparent in Still the One. I adored this heroine, with her prickly nature and tough exterior, all hiding a heart of mush, and this strong and silent hero, whose hurts were so deeply concealed. Darcy and AJ are a perfect match but their love story, full of the push-and-pull that can grate so easily, lost its appeal. Moreover, there are one-too-many tropes used in this one and, ultimately, though I adore these two as individuals, this is one case where I felt as if their relationship was weaker than their separate personalities.

Clearly a must-read for fans, I'm sure Still the One will still satisfy--after all, it's Jill Shalvis. But, nevertheless, I'd lower my expectations for this one, just ever-so-slightly...

Title: The Kraken King (Iron Seas, #4) 

Author: Meljean Brooks

Rating: 4 Stars

Although I harbored my doubts when Brooks announced that The Kraken King would be written in a serialized format, I found myself pleasantly surprised by how effectively it came together as a cohesive novel. The latest in this vividly imaginative steampunk series follows Zenobia Fox, the sister of adventurer Archimedes Fox, and her experiences are no less enthralling than that of her sibling. The Kraken King worked particularly effectively due to its length. It feels longer than her other novels--and rightly so, due to the serial format--but it also allows her to infuse more detail and depth into the world and her characters. The romantic tension is prolonged, a slow-burn that feels so good and the problems that rip these two apart are wholly mental and all the more realistic for it. Of course, Brooks excels at political machinations and introducing new facets to the world she has created, time and time again, so these books are all-round winners through-and-through. If you haven't picked them up yet; do.

Title: Crushed (Redemption, #2) 

Author: Lauren Layne 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Release Date: April 14th, 2015

While the first novel in this series really is the best--Isn't She Lovely--I enjoyed Crushed far more than I did Broken and the vibrant, unique protagonist of this novel completely won me over. I think what makes this series tricky--or at least the last two installments--is the fact that these protagonists are not nice. They don't fit into pre-defined labels of goodness but they also aren't quite the classic bad boy so it's hard to know how to navigate a lot of the sticky emotions in these books. Moreover, the characters are at that New Adult stage where everything just is overly dramatized, mostly because of the nature of the genre but partly because of the age group as well. While I grew a little impatient with the prolongation of the final HEA--seriously, did we need all of those misunderstandings--I still thought this was an excellent novel from Layne. Her adult series definitely sit better with me but this was a genuinely interesting and original take on a lot of classic tropes in the New Adult genre and the more I think about the nuances Layne added to her work, the more I find to recommend within this series.

Audiobook Mini-Review: Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Title: Yes Please

Author: Amy Poehler

Narrated By: Amy Poehler

Rating: 4 Stars

In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book is full of words to live by.

Having binge-watched all six seasons of "Parks & Rec" in the past two weeks, I couldn't resist the audiobook of Yes Please. While many readers have assured me that I'm missing out by not having a physical copy of this novel to peruse, filled as it is with pictures and other creative images, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a listen of this novel. Poehler's voice is animated and intimate, impossible to stop hearing, and the guest speakers and sound effects she adds makes this a truly unique listening experience. While I didn't enjoy every single one of the memories shared, the ones I did fall in love with affected me deeply and profoundly. There's something reassuring about a celebrity memoir in that the aspects of life they share in common with you only serve to humanize them and make your own life experiences seem that much better since, if Amy Poehler had similar thoughts, surely I must be a pretty exceptional person myself? Regardless, I loved this book for its raw, open advice, it's silly lists which made me laugh out loud, and the superb narration which made it feel as if I was listening to a movie or a play, not a book. For fans of audiobooks, memoirs, or just Amy Poehler, this is a must-read.

ARC Review: The Trouble with Love by Lauren Layne

Title: The Trouble with Love 

Author: Lauren Layne 

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: March 3rd, 2015

The Trouble with Love is one of my favorite Lauren Layne novels. I'll admit, having read all of her works to date, I was losing steam with this author. While I remained blown away by her first few novels, I just haven't clicked with her more recent installments. With The Trouble with Love, though, Layne has only reaffirmed what I always suspected and knew: she's an incredible romance author.

The latest in the Stiletto series presents us with Alex and Emma, two ambitious individuals whose past has torn them apart a few too many times. Alex, now the head of Oxford, a men's magazine which rivals Stiletto, the women's magazine Emma writes for, is put in charge of Stiletto for three months while their leader takes a sabbatical. Alex and Emma have tacitly agreed to keep their past in the past--after all, no one wants to remember being left at the altar--but with Alex's new position as Emma's boss, this puts them in closer proximity than they've been in seven years. Although the two maintain a veneer of cold civility, indifference dripping purposefully from their every interaction, it hides a deep hurt--on both sides--and simmering sexual tension. Will Alex and Emma finally be able to give in to their chemistry and put the past behind them? Or can some grievances just never be forgotten?

The Trouble with Love has been teased at ever since the second novel in Layne's quartet and the continued sexual tension that just builds over the course of this novel is both enticing and unbearable. What I loved about the love story here, though, is how authentic it felt. Emma is hurt. Alex is hurt. For them to move on and forget their past will take a lot and Layne really maps out their growth and relationship in a believable manner. It's all in the baby steps. Moreover, the friendship between the women of Stiletto and the men in their lives is heart-warming to read. All of these relationships boast equality, respect, and success on both sides of the equation.

Emma observes her friend's relationships and struggles to define what she wants which is a fascinating struggle. Layne's romances read light and fluffy but there are a lot of deeper themes and connections running through her heroines, making their characters stand out. Emma is, hands down, one of my favorite heroines she has written to date, right up there with Julie. Alex, too, is a pleasantly well-rounded romantic interest. When he assigns Emma the task of writing about her ex-boyfriends, he begins to realize just how he wants Emma to be treated in a relationship. Because of the nature of their past, The Trouble with Love takes a lot of time in establishing what Emma and Alex want individually from a union before finally bringing them together which is so, so worth the wait.

Though readers may be a tad bit concerned that The Trouble with Love starts out with Emma and Alex dating other people, Layne deals with this issue tactfully and it isn't dragged out long at all. No worries about a love triangle here, folks! I'll be sad to see this series end but I've already fallen for many of Layne's other projects and can't wait to see what--or rather who--she writes next.

ARC Review: Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand

Title: Once Upon a Rose (La Vie en Roses, #1) 

Author: Laura Florand

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: February 3rd, 2015

I've been savoring this one. Once Upon a Rose, the start to a new and all-too-beautiful romance series set in the South of France, nearly begged to be read carefully. Each page a petal, thick and heavy with the perfume of roses; meant to be wafted, not inhaled.

Because I just didn't want this book to end. Florand's Amour et Chocolat series ranks among my favorite, ever, so of course I cracked open the spine of Once Upon a Rose with sky-high expectations. Florand's prose can move me to tears, affect me with emotion of the acutest kind, and render me hopelessly in love. I thought, after five full-length novels, three novellas, and two short stories that I knew the intricate ins-and-outs of Florand's writing style and ability. After all, she had covered such a wide range and scope of characters, love stories, and depth within her debut series. But I was wrong. 

What I hadn't known was that Florand's prose has the ability to make me grin like a lovesick fool, giggle like a young schoolgirl, and squeal at the absolute adorable-ness on the page. As an avid reader of Florand's, I'd come across sexy, arrogant chefs; ambitious, motivated, and passionate. But few things delight quite the same way that a strong, rugged, and handsome French countryman who blushes does. 

Layla Dubois is a rockstar. After winning a Grammy for her debut album, Layla--known as "Belle" to her fans--has hit a wall. Unable to find the inspiration she needs to write another album, Layla leaves Paris and journeys to the South of France to find the countryside home that has recently become part of her inheritance. It turns out that Layla's cottage is a part of a rose valley owned by Matthieu Rosier. When we first meet Matt, it is his thirtieth birthday party and the adorable man is drunk and absolutely besotted with Layla, who he affectionately calls "Boucles." It's an encounter that will leave Matt utterly embarrassed the next morning, when his shyness takes over and renders him grunting grumpily in contrast to the chatter of the previous night. 

But it's all just so cute. I wanted to read and re-read every interaction between Layla and Matt; I wanted to savor it and prolong it and live in their world for as long as I could. Because Matt, despite the tough act, is all gooey on the inside. And I love that. I just have to share one of my favorite scenes because it captures the essence of these two characters so perfectly and it was the precise moment I fell insanely in love with their love:

"What do you want now?” Matt growled at her, tightening his arms around himself.

“I only need directions!” Layla snapped back at him. “I can’t believe how unhelpful you people are being!”

Matt blinked. He slid the oddest glance toward the other men, almost—vulnerable? “They couldn’t give you directions?”

Tristan shook his head woefully. “Even Damien,” he said sadly, “proved unequal to the task.”

Matt stared at them for a moment. And then his sunburn seemed to get worse than ever, and he rubbed his chest, as if it felt strange to him. Clearing his throat, a rough growl of sound, he took her map from her. “Where do you need to go?”

“I’ve been lost enough around here, thank you,” Layla said. “I don’t need you to get me lost some more, just to punish me for inheriting a house.”

Matt scowled at the map. “Where do you need to go?” he growled again.

Tristan coughed a little into his hand. “Ahem, Matt. People skills!” he stage-whispered. 

Matt glared at him.

“He’s really a nice guy,” Tristan told her out loud, cheerfully, as if Matt wasn’t even listening. “No, I swear.”

Matt transferred his glare back to the map.

Again, Layla fought the urge to just lay her hand against his chest. It was a really hot chest, that probably explained it. She kept imagining all that growly tension relaxing away from him in surprise. And then what would he be like? That cute, enthusiastic, uncontained man he had been drunk?

“Where?” Matt insisted. He cleared his throat again. And then managed to get words out that were still rough, but considerably quieter. “Where do you need to go?” he repeated, carefully.

“I don’t even know where I am.”

“You’re in the Rosier valley,” Matt said blankly and put a callused finger to her map. “Here.”

[...]

His gruff voice elaborated as he wrote: “A three-story house with blue shutters will be on your left. It has lace curtains. If not, if it’s a house with blue shutters and roses climbing up the walls but no curtains, you’ve taken the wrong exit. There’s a little bar two buildings farther down, with a faded red awning. Be careful, there’s a pale orange tabby cat that likes to lie right in the middle of the road there, and he will not move. You have to stop the car and pick him up and carry him to the garden of the little house with the jasmine climbing up the green gate. That’s where he belongs. Then you—”

Layla watched his square hand around the pen, his big body bent over the hood of her car as he wrote. His bare back curved and she stalwartly fought the need to reach out and see if it was as smooth as it looked. As warm. To see if his voice would grow more or less gruff when he was being petted.

He knew a particular cat might be sleeping in the middle of the road on her route. And he stopped and picked it up. He made sure she stopped and picked it up.

From this angle, his face was in shade and the sunburn didn’t look as bad, his skin less ruddy under the matte tones. Her head tilted.

It wasn’t sunburn, was it? Sunburn didn’t subside like that.

This big, growling man had been blushing.

“You’re way better than a smartphone,” she said wonderingly. 

Actually he was more like a…guitar. Someone she wanted to run her fingers over to see what sounds she could pull out. 

He made a sound of acknowledgement that was pretty darn close to a grunt.

She grinned. Definitely a bass guitar. “And you have a much better voice. Do you think I could record you giving the directions instead?” Except, of course, she didn’t have a phone to record with. If she wanted to hear that rough bass talking to her again while he blushed, she’d just have to figure out a way to keep getting him to do it.

A musician had to, you know, coax her instruments into making the sounds she wanted sometimes.

She bit back a grin.

He stopped writing and turned his head just enough to look at her. The color started to mount back into his cheeks again.

Her smile started to escape her efforts to restrain it. “Do you need help with your sunscreen?”

That stern upper lip relaxed its pressure on the full lower one. He stared at her, frozen. 

Her smile deepened. Whether it was the pure fun of flirting in French—a language that had, after all, been refined for centuries to that purpose—or the vulnerable blush on someone that big and rough and growling, this whole moment was developing a delicious zing. 

“You’re pretty cute, you know that?” she tested softly.

The streak over those strong cheekbones turned ruddy bronze. He looked back at her journal, and the pencil lead broke. He stared at it, apparently not having a clue what to do with himself.

See what I mean? An absolute teddy bear if there was one. But Once Upon a Rose is so much more than the developed love story between Matt and Layla. As the inheritor of so much land, Matt is burdened with living in rose valley and caring for her roses constantly. While his cousins travel the world and date gorgeous women, Matt's first love has always been the land he is rightfully heir to. From Matt's perspective, nothing is in black-and-white. Matt recognizes that his cousins yearn for the land Matt owns--and Matt is proud to be the sole inheritor of the Rosier valley and he selfishly loves his roses--but he also envies his cousins for the freedom they possess for, unlike him, they are not tied down to the land of their ancestors. Matt's relationship with his cousins is complex, however, for in brief glimpses we are able to see that his cousins care deeply for Matt and, contrary to what he may believe, they aren't looking for weaknesses in his character to exploit so that they can take his inheritance away from him. We see time and time again that Matt's cousins are there for him and, eventually, Matt, too, comes to realize that there are more options in front of him than he believes, if only he would open himself up to others and allow them to help. 

Layla, too, undergoes her own journey of growth over the course of the novel but it is Matt's character who has stuck with me, long after my languid read of Once Upon a Rose. At its core, this is a story of two people who, by finding love, find that they have room in their hearts for so much more than they imagined. It's about finding the courage to be brave enough to accept change, invite help, and alter your entire world-view. In addition to the Rosier cousins, there are a handful of other vibrant secondary characters who make this novel that much more special and, as always, the cameo appearances and mentions of characters who we've met in previous novellas and short stories is such a delight. Once Upon a Rose, though different from the Amour et Chocolat books, still possesses a hero and heroine who are equally matched, who bring out the best in one another, and who share a riveting passion--whether it be for chocolate or roses, believe me, they're both just as romantic, sensual, and swoon-worthy as the other. I am still unable to adequately express just how deeply I feel for this novel; it's soft, sweet, and oh-so-very hug-able. Between Parisian chocolatiers and Southern countrymen, I'm going to have a difficult time deciding where to stop first when I eventually visit France to find my future husband! ;)

Review: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Title: Golden Son (Red Rising, #2) 

Author: Pierce Brown 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Note: This review is spoiler-free for Red Rising and Golden Son. However, if you are new to this series I recommend reading my review of Red Rising first as it sets up the scope of this world and provides background information about the general plot which this review does not. (You can read my review of Red Rising here.)

I have a LOT to say about Golden Son,--it's just one of those books--but to start with...

1. I experienced HIGH levels of stress while reading Golden Son. Making me care that much for your characters is not cool, Pierce Brown.
&
2. Um, what was that ending? A joke? Because I'm not laughing... I'M CRYING.

Now that that's off my chest I can honestly admit that Golden Son is a sequel that rivals the brilliance of Red Rising and transcends it. While it is still prone to bouts of dramatism, Golden Son amps up the political stakes in this intergalactic world and spares no qualms about destroying, torturing, and killing off every one of your favorite characters. If you thought this was Young Adult, think again. Golden Son begins two years after the events of Red Rising and Darrow, our protagonist, is no mere boy. At twenty-years-old he has come a long way from the sixteen-year-old Red he started out as. Moreover, his time in Gold society has altered his perceptions of the world he lives in. Even in Red Rising, Darrow resisted seeing the world in gray. He wanted to hate Golds and their power; he wanted to fight for Reds and nothing else. By the end of Red Rising, Darrow was forced to grudgingly admit that the world was not quite as black-and-white as he had hoped. In Golden Son, though, he finally understands that this war he's fighting isn't about Red vs. Gold; it's so much more.

In comparison to its predecessor, Golden Son feels more volatile. Darrow is no longer confined and with the entire universe at his disposal, his task seems far more impossible than it ever did before. Brown weaves political power plays alongside epic war battle a la Game of Thrones and every time I think I've got it all figured out, he throws in a curve ball and changes up the game yet again. There isn't a moment to breathe in Golden Son. If Darrow isn't plotting war, engaging in war, or dreaming about war then he's himself; a Red, stripped away of the facade he displays to the world. Although some may argue that the strength of these novels lie in the quickly-paced plot lines which move forward with purpose, I would argue that Brown's true talent shines through in the more quiet, introspective scenes. It isn't often that readers are given a chance to look into the mind of a male narrator but Darrow is a flawed hero that, had I lived in Brown's fictional universe, I'd give my life for.

What I find most remarkable about this series is the fact that Brown has seamlessly created a world of great political divide, strife with violence, yet the humanizing moments are what ultimately linger. Golden Son expands on its cast from Red Rising and though I struggled to remember who was whose son or daughter, the larger host of characters only amplify Darrow's struggles. Whether it be an increasing host of enemies or just the friends Darrow is forced to alienate as he hides the truth of his lineage, Darrow battles his loneliness time and time again. Eo remains a constant in his thoughts; both an inspiration and a guiding compass. Nevertheless, it is her memory which ultimately forces his isolation too. Although Darrow is widely known in the Gold community for his brute strength and battle skill, the Sons of Ares have had little contact with him and the burden of what he has agreed to do is now felt, two long years later. Throughout Golden Son Darrow comes to the realization that, cheesy as it may sound, the truth will set him free. Unless he trusts those around him, they will not linger long enough for him to rely on later.

Golden Son is interspersed with chapters that consist solely of conversation between Darrow and a close friend of his. Those chapters, squeezed between the politics and battles, utterly charmed me. Just as Darrow won over allies, he won me over too. Golden Son emphasizes just how difficult friendships can be: how fickle and fleeting; how we don't realize their worth until they're gone. In his war against Gold, Darrow needs as much back-up and support as he can find. Moreover, if Darrow can convince those around him that lower colors deserve the equality that Gold enjoy, then Darrow is that much closer to changing the world. Slowly, but steadily, Golden Son transforms Darrow's purpose to an even greater one. While Darrow may have started out wanting revenge against Gold, now he recognizes that it isn't Gold who must burn but their society.

Brown writes three-dimensional, flawed characters. No one within these pages is perfect and their imperfections are what make them downright human. I was already attached a decent number of characters from Red Rising but I fell for even more of them in Golden Son. As an author who uses death as a purposeful stab to the heart, I bled while reading Golden Son. Ultimately, it's one big stress fest; wondering who will be the next to die, anticipating who will betray Darrow, trying to figure out the political machinations ahead of time. And yet, that's what makes Golden Son such a thrill to read. Flipping each page more and more quickly in an effort to discover what happens is part of the experience.

One of the most stressful aspects to this novel, though, was the romance. Darrow and Mustang share hints of a love story in Red Rising but in Golden Son, with Mustang in such a pivotal role, their push-and-pull dynamic comes to a head. I know I said it in my review of Red Rising, but Darrow is a feminist male narrator. He respects Mustang, trusts her to make her own decisions, and understands that her strengths are different from his and, as such, she just may be one step ahead of where he is in the game of Gold politics. Mustang is one of my favorite characters precisely because she understands the political situation, seizes the upper hand, and does whatever is necessary to gain it. Unlike so many strong female characters whose purpose molds them into villains, however, she maintains a strong moral compass and winds up bettering everyone at their own game. When it comes to Darrow, though, she refuses to be with someone who continues to hold part of himself back and, despite the fact that their friendship is grounded in equality and their partnership balances out, the possibility of a true relationship remains in question. Mustang and Eo are such strong forces in Darrow's life; women who propel him to be better and convince him that he doesn't need to resort to the depravity of his enemies. Thus, despite the fact that the romance in these novels is so minimal, the romantic interests themselves are integral to creating Darrow.

At one point in the novel, Darrow acknowledges that it is all women who have molded and shaped him to become the person he is. Whether it be his mother who made him the man Eo fell in love with, or Eo who gave him the power to transcend and become the man Mustang fell for, or Mustang who pushed him to be the man others followed. In a world of war and mayhem, dominated by men, the influence of femininity is not forgotten which I, as a female reader, appreciate. What's more, there's a scene in Golden Son where Darrow simply starts crying and the fact that it simultaneously breaks down gender stereotypes while humanizing our protagonist deserves praise, indeed. With Golden Son, Brown has created a rich, heart-felt novel, more science fiction than dystopian, with characters who both maim and inspire. Not only compulsively readable, but also brimming endlessly with themes, messages, and underlying nuances I won't even pretend to be smart enough to pick up, this is not a trilogy to be missed. Knock down The Hunger Games from your shelves if you have to make room for this; it's worth it ten-fold.

Review: It Felt Like a Kiss by Sarra Manning

Title: It Felt Like a Kiss

Author: Sarra Manning 

Rating: 4 Stars

I'm not sure why I'm surprised to have enjoyed this one so much. It Felt Like a Kiss is set in the same universe as Manning's Unsticky, one of my all-time favorite novels. Yet, despite having held tightly to a copy of this on my Kindle since its release, the mixed reviews have prevented me from diving in. I've enjoyed Manning's work in the past but with the exception of Unsticky, I haven't loved them. And, as a companion novel--of sorts--to Unsticky, I wanted to love It Felt Like a Kiss. Desperately.

Admittedly, I don't love It Felt Like a Kiss. But, by the end of it, I did really, really like it.

The weakest aspect of It Felt Like a Kiss is, unfortunately, the beginning. Unlike Unsticky, its plot doesn't take off running and, what's more, the narrative voice takes awhile to develop. Ellie Cohen, a young British girl working in Vaughn's office, finds the truth of her parentage leaked after a nasty breakup. Ellie's father, the famous rock star Billy Kay, has never acknowledged Ellie or her mother, Ari, all their life and now that Ellie has been outed as his illegitimate daughter, her entire life is upended. Unable to avoid the paparazzi, Ellie finds herself face-to-face with Billy's lawyer, David Gold. And although David and Ellie have a great deal of chemistry between them, there is the tiny little problem of David representing the interests of a man who has done his best to avoid Ellie for all of her life.

It Felt Like a Kiss truly begins only around a third into the story. While the beginning of the novel sets up the story, complete with the cast and Ellie's life prior to the truth of her parentage breaking loose, it doesn't get interesting until David truly enters the tale. Manning excels at writing romantic relationships. Her characters are complex and gritty and real to a fault which usually means that I wind up so wrapped up in their love story that I often don't sleep until the wee hours of the morning, utterly satisfied despite the fact that my heart has gone through the wringer. But, for Sarah Manning's romances, I'd do it all over again.

David is driven, focused, and ambitious. Willing to do anything that his job demands, he manages to be charming and aloof, considerate and cynical. With him, Ellie doesn't quite know where she stands and, as a girl whose entire life has been leaked to the media and who wears her heart on a sleeve, David is uncharted waters. In the past, Ellie has dated the "lame duck" guys; the ones who desperately need fixing. When Ellie finally realizes she's dating a loser and breaks up with them, however, they move on to become the best version of themselves, all thanks to Ellie's intervention. Thus, all the more reason David poses a terrifying choice for Ellie as he's a man she's attracted to but one who doesn't need fixing of any kind.

Watching David and Ellie dance around their attraction, the legal documentation between them, and, of course, their pasts, was more than just a little entertaining. David is enigmatic and inscrutable but as the novel progresses he becomes increasingly human. Their relationship isn't perfect and they're both than just a little bit flawed, but Manning makes us fall for them--and fall hard. She has a knack for painting men and relationships in the worst possible light yet, by the end, you're more than half in love with both.

Nevertheless, the strength of this novel lies within Ellie and her struggle to reconcile who she is in a world she has vastly underestimated. With the people around her acting in the worst possible way towards her, Ellie's position is difficult and empathetic. It's impossible not to fall in love with her and decide--firmly--to be on her side, no matter what. She's just one of those heroines. Moreover, her predicament brings up a fascinating array of questions about the media, publicity, and, what's more, the portrayal of women in the news. Ellie's outing isn't just a news headline; it's also an inspection of her body, of her sexual life, and of her character as a result. Because the paparazzi are stalking her, images of her in a bikini are leaked and, as a result, the headlines rate every body part Ellie has from her lips to her waist to her legs. Because her terrible ex-boyfriend lied about her to the press, Ellie's sexual escapades are released to the world and society judges her to be a "slut" and a "whore." Though Manning doesn't directly bring these issues under scrutiny, by bringing them up in her novel she draws attention to them nevertheless.

It Felt Like a Kiss isn't the best Manning has written, but it's gosh darn close. Just like I've come to expect from her, it's witty and charming, compulsively readable and wickedly swoony, all with unforgettable characters to boot. If you like the corporate slave turned passionate lover trope even half as much as I do, this is simply a must-read.

ARC Mini-Reviews: First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen and Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Title: First Frost (Waverley Family, #2) 

Author: Sarah Addison Allen 

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: January 20th, 2015

Anyone who has read Garden Spells can confirm that the novel hardly needs a sequel. It's a magical, beautiful stand-alone novel and Allen's debut holds a special place in my heart. First Frost, on the other hand, does not. It takes place a decade after Garden Spells ended and though the re-visit to the Waverley household is familiar--warm, comforting, loving--it feels strangely unnecessary. I didn't have to know of Claire's new candy-making business, Sydney's desire for a son, or Bay's feeling that she belongs with Hunter John's son. While I loved being back in Waverley House and the distinct feeling of Allen's writing is a sensation that wraps around you and holds you tight, like a blanket, First Frost is possibly the most disappointed I have been by her work. If it were not that these were beloved characters I knew before--and intimately, loved these characters--I wouldn't even have given First Frost three stars.

The issue with Allen's latest is the fact that the conflict at hand is flimsy. I appreciate the post-marriage struggles Sydney and Claire face. Their demons from Garden Spells aren't as pronounced but that doesn't mean they have disappeared. Thus, I rather enjoyed being back in their minds, witnessing them come to terms with the change in their lives that time inevitably introduces. Most of all, I loved Bay's narrative and the teenage issues she found herself face-to-face with. Yet, the coming together of these plot lines didn't work quite as seamlessly as it worked in Garden Spells. The shift from Teenage to Adult perspectives wasn't perfection. The strange side plot line with an odd old man entering town, poking around and asking about the Waverley's, ended too abruptly and anticlimactically to satisfy. Ultimately, First Frost lacked the strength of Garden Spells. Claire and Sydney were a unit and in being so, the union of their sisterhood from Garden Spells is a far more compelling story than their joint unity in First Frost.

Allen's latest isn't bad, not in the least. It is beautifully written and, as always, her prose is impeccable and characterizations are point-on. In my eyes, though, there wasn't enough of a story to be told, here. I didn't feel moved by these characters or their struggles as I was in Garden Spells. I wasn't charmed or enchanted or rendered speechless by the magic in the air. First Frost is a novel that fans of Allen are bound to read--and I don't fault them. It's a few hours well spent in the company of an author and characters I adore. Just don't go in expecting the caliber of Allen's debut.

Title: Things We Know by Heart

Author: Jessi Kirby

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: April 21st, 2015

Things We Know by Heart is laughably predictable. Unlike Kirby's Golden, which delivered on being more than just a road trip novel, Things We Know by Heart does not. From what its synopsis says, it is easy to deduce that Quinn, who has lost her boyfriend to a horrible accident, tracks down the patient who received his heart, Colton, and falls in love. Naturally, the romance is well-developed and sweet, making Quinn believe that there is more to Colton than simply sharing a heart with her deceased boyfriend. Quinn comes away from their love story knowing that sharing a heart does not mean sharing a personality and as she falls for Colton, an entity separate from her former boyfriend, Trent, there is only a calm sense of relief to be found.

Yet, Kirby creates a novel about grief that is strangely lacking. Quinn chases after Colton well over a year after Trent's death and, as a result, her grief isn't fresh or raw. It's a different kind of grief, which I appreciated, but her interactions for Colton do little to assuage her grief except replace it with love. Quinn has a supportive family, a strong relationship with her older sister, and she discusses--in great length--her relationship with Colton before labeling it as love. Nevertheless, for me, the overwhelming message felt as if to overcome grief, one must simply find true love. Things We Know by Heart beautifully writes Quinn and Colton's romance and, moreover, Colton's thoughts as a heart recipient, though never explored from his perspective, are realistic, meaningful, and in-depth. I learned so much more about organ donations and the pain felt from both sides of the equation--how it's not just happily ever after once the organ is transplanted successfully--from this novel. Regardless, though, I felt as if Kirby could have used this innovative, fresh idea and done more with it than make it a love story. I wanted more of Quinn's emotional journey as explored through her grief. I wanted more of Colton's anger and confrontation after realizing the truth Quinn hid from him as she never reveals that she is the girlfriend of the guy whose heart now beats in Colton's chest. Instead, this romance plays out in a predictable manner, complete with the "break-up" towards the end that eventually culminates in a relationship.

Things We Know by Heart just felt too easy for a novel about life and death. Perhaps if this were written more like If I Stay with us getting to know Trent and Quinn before his death, this would have made a stronger impact. As it rests, however, it is a solid love story and a unique premise. Yet, if you've come looking for the type of depth and scope offered by the author of Golden, re-read Golden--there's little to be found here.

Release Day Mini-Review: Shadowed Heart by Laura Florand

Title: Shadowed Heart (Amour et Chocolat, #5.5) 

Author: Laura Florand

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: December 3rd, 2014

Three words, to shake a man’s existence.
Three words, to call on all a man’s strength, all his courage, all his love, and all his ability to hope and dream…and trust.
Three words, to wake up every fear a man has ever had.
“I’m pregnant, Luc.”
Now how could a man be perfect enough for that?
Now in this sequel to The Chocolate Heart, Florand takes us into the heart of happily ever after with a story full of love, hope, and friendship. Struggling to get their new restaurant off the ground in the south of France, newly married top chef Luc Leroi and his wife Summer must face all their demons at the prospect of becoming parents. Fortunately, Summer's cousins and Luc's rival chefs join forces with the couple to prove that not even a top chef has to handle everything alone and happiness really can last ever after.

I've been stalking NetGalley for months, now, just waiting for the next Florand novel to appear. I've read and re-read Florand's novels so often that to re-visit an old favorite doesn't quite give me the same pleasure as cracking open the spine of a new one. Thus, despite the fact that I've read other Florand novels only earlier this year, and re-read a handful of her books recently, picking up Shadowed Heart felt like coming home after a long, long break.

While the majority of Florand's titles can be read as stand-alones, this is one novella that simply demands that the reader have read The Chocolate Heart. Even though it's been awhile since I perused the volume myself, Luc and Summer's romance is such a strong, visceral, and truly humbling experience. It's full of heartache and strength, both in such equal magnitude, that it's impossible not to become entirely embroiled in their tale and wish, desperately, for the happiest ending possible. Thus, a follow-up novella is both a welcome surprise and a certain dread. I knew, even before opening the PDF of this, that I was going to become an emotional wreck at some point during the story--that's just the type of writer Florand is. Luc and Summer feel fleshly-real, so much so that their very being intertwines with yours until their slightest pain affects you in a physical manner.

It's a sign of Florand's skill that she's able to encompass such a wide range of emotion into such a slim volume. Shadowed Heart follows Luc and Summer as they discover that Summer is pregnant, all while Luc struggles to open his own restaurant and come to terms with what it means to be a father, support a family, and be the type of husband Summer needs him to be. Many of the themes Florand touches upon in this novella are echoes of what we saw in The Chocolate Heart but they feel just as poignant here, if not more. At a time of so much happiness, for this married couple to fall prey to doubt and most importantly, self-doubt, is a terrifying scene to watch unfold. Yet, I appreciate that Shadowed Heart has glimpses of happiness, moments of comic relief, and just the right amount of sugar. We manage to re-visit old favorites (my sweethearts, Sylvain, Dom, and Patrick *swoon*) and the delight of being back in Luc and Summer's minds doesn't wear off as easily as one would imagine. Their thoughts, so similar and yet so different, their new familiarity with one another, all while maintaining a distance still, is all strangely moving and immensely touching. I love this couple. I rooted for this couple. And I root for them still.

Shadowed Heart is a must-read for fans of Florand's work. It's heart-felt and the depth packed into its short pages is unbelievable. Moreover, who wouldn't kill for a chance to lose themselves among Florand's prose, her descriptions of Southern France, or all the delectable chocolate her leading men can make? (Someone, PLEASE, let me know where I can find a French chef of my own!) Without a doubt, Shadowed Heart is yet another incredible novel from Florand--one of her finest yet.

Mini-Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Title: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry 

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Rating: 4 Stars

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is, upon further reflection, the type of deceptively crafted title I absolutely love to devour on a rainy spring afternoon. Everything from the brief book reviews which preface its every chapter to the odd little details the author sprinkles within the opening pages of the novel--only to re-introduce them in miraculous means towards the end of the story--are utterly charming, delightful, and more than a little engaging. Fikry's book reviews not only introduce subtle events in every chapter to come, but they are written from the future as the story struggles to catch up to his current timeline, a method which works to perfection, crafted and re-crafted by Zevin throughout the course of the book. 

It's difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what it is about this novel that just works. Is it the quaint little bookstore in a tiny off-the-coast island, inhabited by citizens whose lives are extraordinary in their ordinariness? Or is it the transformation of A.J. Fikry, a rather aloof widowed bookstore owner whose life changes the day baby Maya shows up on his doorstep? Or, perhaps, it is simply that Zevin writes her contemporary title in the tone of magical realism, introducing even the simplest of emotions such as love or hope or happiness as pure magic. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry isn't a sugar-coated tale, though--for the most part--it appears so. Yet, it is the minuscule sprinkles of sorrow and grounded reality in a tale of love and redemption that, ultimately, make this a journey to remember, no matter how many times it is read.

Review: Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy, #1)

Author: Ilona Andrews

Rating: 4 Stars

Forget the new Kate Daniels book, I just want more of the Hidden Legacy series. It speaks to the immense strength of the Ilona Andrews writing duo that, despite diverging from a well-known and slightly formulaic series, they still manage to put forth innovative, fresh, and genuinely captivating novels. It was already evident from The Edge books, a series of companion novels set in the same universe, but now with both The Innkeeper Chronicles and Hidden Legacy series, two incredibly promising series debuts, they have proved that there is much, much more up their sleeve either than Kate Daniels.

Frankly, that's rare. We see it all too often where authors simply draw out a series beyond its natural ending point or inundate fans with countless spin-off series. I admire Ilona Andrews all the more, however, for choosing to begin new ventures. Moreover, both Clean Sweep and Burn for Me contain characters written in a completely different vein from Kate and Curran. I love Nevada, the family-oriented and loyal protagonist of Burn for Me, and I particularly love the distinct quality of her narration. It's funny, just as Ilona Andrews knows to be, but it also lacks the loneliness and despair that marked Kate's voice in Magic Bites, instead giving rise to a flavor of indomitable strength and courage tinged with vulnerability--a state I was able to instantly relate to. 

Unlike Kate, Nevada is instantly like-able and her world, full of enormous leaps in social hierarchy, forces her to be a victim of her environment in more ways than one. The world-building in Burn for Me is intricate and intriguing from the start and only develops as the novel progresses, which I love. You're left with the sense that there is so much more left to be told, not just story-wise with this series, but also world-wise and I anticipate that sensation of peeling back layers to a new novel. Plus, for those of you who are fans of Ilona Andrews heart-stopping action sequences and penchant for mythological mysteries, have no fear; it is present in spades in Burn for Me. 

Yet, what makes Burn for Me such an incredible novel is, simply put, its characters. Nevada, her ex-solider mother, her younger brothers and sisters, her hacker cousin Bern, her grandmother who isn't too old to appreciate a shirtless (and very good-looking) man, and, of course, Mad Rogan himself. Without divulging spoilers, Burn for Me places Nevada, a woman with relatively little magical power, under control of the corporation to which her business is mortgaged and, as a result, she much apprehend a powerful fire-wielding psychopath, Adam. Mad Rogan, known for his immense power and the enormous death rate he has been responsible for during the war, is searching for Adam for reasons of his own and when the two team up, sparks fly. 

Mad Rogan isn't your typical hero. After serving in the war for years and wielding an unparalleled amount of magical ability, Mad Rogan is used to getting what he wants, who he wants, and when he wants them. Thus, he lacks empathy and sees murder as the first--and only--solution to every problem thrown his way. Needless to say, Nevada is terrified of the man despite the sexual tension palpable between them. To write a romance between a character such as Mad Rogan and a civilian such as Nevada is no easy task but Ilona Andrews truly makes us root for them. Moreover, it helps that we, as readers, are offered miniscule glimpses into Mad Rogan that Nevada lacks which gives us a stronger insight into the man. It isn't a fast-paced romance--but Ilona Andrews has never been known for that--and the slow-burn is torturous but oh-so-gratifying. Or, at any rate, I imagine it will be in the next few installments. 

Long story short, Burn for Me is a must-read for fans of Ilona Andrews and/or the Urban Fantasy genre. It's a true breath of fresh air from the all-too-typical insta-love sequences with vampires or other paranormal creatures and the lore of this universe will grab you in and won't let you go. Plus, don't even get me started on Mad Rogan. Move over Curran because Mad Rogan is here! ;) Burn for Me. Read it.

Anthology Review: Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

Title: Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson

Author: Patricia Briggs

Rating: 4 Stars

Shifting Shadows is a definite must for fans of Mercy Thompson--no doubt about it. It opens with a relatively long tale--nearly novella length--which covers the initial meeting between Sam and Ariana. While it is often difficult for readers (at least myself) to tear away from the perfection that is Adam Hauptman, I truly adored the fact that this collection dares to give us the back stories of characters we've been curious about. Sam and Ariana's tale, though not one I'll likely ever find myself re-reading, is a powerful story with unexpected depth. Much later in the anthology, we re-visit this couple and understanding their past gives their present a rich undertone.

With the exception of "Silver", the majority of my favorite short stories from this novel are ones that have been published elsewhere. "Alpha & Omega" is stunning, as always, especially upon re-read. Tom's story with the blind witch (whose name I'm blanking on at the moment, sorry!) is just as compelling in its subtleties as I remembered. Of course, Kyle and Warren's story is unforgettable (that cowboy line though!). The last three short stories surround Mercy herself. Shortly following Night Broken she finds herself on a mission to dispel a ghost--and what a creepy ghost it is! I didn't expect to enjoy this tale as much as I did but, naturally, even the short presence of Adam Hauptman made my day.

Speaking of our resident werewolf, Adam's appearance in the last two tales--outtakes from Silver Borne and Night Broken--were utterly rewarding. It's often difficult to situate a reader in an isolated outtake, especially as I've read the majority of this series quite awhile ago, but Briggs manages to involve her reader completely in the world, time period, and situation she creates. Moreover, it would be remiss of me to ignore the brilliant and to-the-point synopses Briggs provides readers in the beginning of each short story. Not only does she inform us of where in the Mercy-verse each story falls, but she also gives us insider information on the creation of the novellas, which I always enjoy.

Shifting Shadows would not be the strong volume it is without the presence of Asil thrown cleverly into the middle of the anthology. While I'd have cherished a tale of Asil's mate, I grew to thoroughly enjoy the tale Briggs weaved for him and found myself missing it when it finished. Ultimately, this collection is full of depth, character growth, and back stories that only enrich our understanding of the world Briggs has built. If nothing else, it enables us to see that the extent of Briggs's imagination has only briefly been touched and that, as readers, we are still in for such a treat regarding future Mercy installments. I, for one, cannot wait. (I already need more Adam Hauptman in my life!)

Review: Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Title: Heroes Are My Weakness

Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Rating: 3 Stars

The dead of winter.
An isolated island off the coast of Maine.
A man.
A woman.
A sinister house looming over the sea ...
He's a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.
But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.
It's going to be a long, hot winter.

More often than not, Susan Elizabeth Phillips is an author I turn to in desperate need of a pick-me-up. Not only do her characters draw me in, but her romances manage to contain depth while remaining light reads I can breeze through and simply enjoy. Heroes Are My  Weakness, however, proved a bit too odd for my liking. It isn't a bad novel, not in the least, but being a blend of many genres and time periods forces its narrative to stutter and though I became engrossed in the love story by the last third of this novel, it wasn't enough to redeem the entirety of the story in my eyes.

From the beginning of the novel itself, I struggled--stylistically--with Heroes Are My Weakness. Anne, our protagonist, is a ventriloquist and the presence of her puppets are integral to the storyline and, moreover, to her psyche. Thus, the fact that I wasn't a fan of their dialogue alongside Anne's thoughts made it difficult for me to immerse myself into this story. When the novel opens Anne is returning to the cottage owned by her mother on an isolated island off the coast of Maine. To her surprise, she bumps into Theo--the boy she loved as a teenager and grew to fear as their teenage romance took a dark turn. Now, Theo is an author with a wife who killed herself not too long ago and Anne is, still, both attracted and terrified of him.

It takes awhile for the entirety of Theo and Anne's past to come to light but the few glimpses we're given in the beginning all relate to Anne's fear of Theo. As kids, Theo often tormented Anne and now, looking back, she can't believe he once had such a sweet twin sister while he himself remains cold and aloof. Anne's descriptions of Theo travel back in time to draw parallels with Gothic romances. Everything from his old-era clothing to his impeccable manners and even to his Heathcliffe-like brooding. It's an odd juxtaposition of the old and the new and it didn't work for me for a very long time. Even more disturbing, though, Anne and Theo's romance is one I felt disconnected with from the start. After all, Anne doesn't like him. Theo made her childhood a misery, playing pranks on her and even putting her life in danger at times, so the weird fascination she has for him and her attraction to him read rather creepy.

Phillips does, eventually, manage to answer all unanswered questions and the story steers back to familiar romantic territory, full of classic mishaps and steamy scenes. Yet, Heroes Are My Weakness fails to stand out as a Susan Elizabeth Phillips romance. It lacks the humor I often associate with her novels and though the secondary characters are vividly cast, they remain forgettable. Ultimately, Theo and Anne don't have the type of spark--chemistry, if you will--that I've come to expect from SEP's leads. Looks like it's back to the Chicago Stars for me!

Review: A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4) 

Author: George R. R. Martin

Rating: 4 Stars

Note: This review is spoiler-free for A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords which is why readers will notice that I am intentionally vague while mentioning certain plot points. There is a minor spoiler for A Game of Thrones where I mention an event which occurs early on in the novel (and in the first episode of the show, actually). You can read my reviews of the previous three books in this series here, here, and here respectively. 

I wound up pleasantly surprised by A Feast for Crows. Unlike its predecessors, Martin's fourth volume in the Song of Fire and Ice Series is far more introspective than originally anticipated. While it lacks the ominous build-up of A Game of Thrones, the battle-torn scene of A Clash of Kings, or the twist-heavy climax of A Storm of Swords, it forces us deeper into the minds of the characters we've come, in equal part, to love and hate.

Very early in the text Martin introduces us to the perspective of Arianne Martell, princess of Dorne and niece to Oberyn. I found much to love about Arianne but, perhaps, what struck me the most is the subtle juxtaposition of her character to that of Cersei Lannister's. Not only are both Arianne and Cersei women in positions of immense power, but they both detest their fathers and simultaneously yearn to emulate and become better than them. Moreover, both women are aware of their attractiveness and use their sexuality as a weapon. Yet, somehow, Arianne comes across in a far more sympathetic light than Cersei. By using these two women as foils for one another Martin hints at the fascinating concept that the qualities Cersei prides herself in possessing uniquely--her relationship with Tywin Lannister, her incredible beauty, her power, her intellect--are not, after all, the traits that make her her. Instead, by this stage in the story line, Cersei has evolved into a woman beyond a simplistic mold and, looking upon Arianne, it is clear that Cersei's change is certainly not for the better.

Speaking of Cersei, I found myself both in awe and in fright of her throughout the course of the novel. Cersei, time and time again, throws herself into the political game in Westeros and fails. Not only does her fear propel her to put into power individuals who are of little help to the realm, but it also ensures she is the sole ruler in King's Landing. One plagued by nightmares, whose pride errs her judgement. Yet, what I find most compelling, in many ways, about Cersei is that she looks upon her failures with contempt at others. Instead of finding fault with herself, she believes that if she were a man, her decisions would reveal the outcome she hoped for. While Cersei has used her feminine wiles as a weapon, she nevertheless feels burdened by them as well. Why I find this entire concept to be achingly familiar is because, quite simply put, in a rage of feminist fury I often blame my failures on my sex as well. It is all too easy for women to claim that their gender is a hindrance to their success because, in most cases, it is. But not in Cersei's situation and this, above all, stuck with me.

Jaime, in contrast with his older sister, pulls himself away from the politics of his nation. Plagued with guilt concerning his actions towards Tyrion, mad with disbelief at the barbs Tyrion threw at him, A Feast for Crows sees Jaime and Cersei finally turn against one another. Now, perhaps more than ever, both these siblings need one another's support but it is oddly absent. Not only has Cersei changed, as hungry for power as she is fearful of her son's life, but Jaime is forced to reconcile himself to the life of a cripple. How fitting, isn't it, that Jaime who pushed Bran to his crippled state now finds himself in a similar position? Yet, I love Jaime. I love this Lannister whose past is defined by physical prowess and future will, sadly, not be determined by it. From his struggles to re-define who he is without his sword-fighting hand to his all-too-true suspicions concerning Cersei, Jaime's tale is both enlightening and heart-breaking. We know it's necessary for him to wander down this path but that doesn't make it any easier to watch--not for me, at any rate.

And Brienne. Brienne stunned me in A Feast for Crows. I loved that her arc showcased the truth of Jaime's words in A Storm of Swords--a knight is torn by his vows. More than just that, though, Brienne is, for the first time since we've met her, surrounded by men who despise her occupation and want nothing more than for her to fade into the background as just another household wife with a brood of children. While we're familiar with this mentality concerning Brienne, we are also familiar with the occasional glimpse of a respectful face whether it be Catelyn Stark or Jaime Lannister. In A Feast for Crows, however, Brienne is truly alone to face not only her fears--taking a man's life--but also the past she has escaped from. I thoroughly enjoyed learning of Brienne's childhood, her path to pursuing her dreams, and her kick-butt sword-fighting skills. It is difficult to determine, yet, just how important of a character she is to the series as a whole since she removes herself from political games but, regardless, I love her character. (And, if you can't already tell, I ship Jaime and Brienne so hard.)

A Feast for Crows is yet another masterful work of fiction from Martin. I've yet to complain about this series and, truly, if you are a fan of high fantasy or political drama, the Song of Fire and Ice Series is the finest you will find.

ARC Romance Mini-Reviews: In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins, As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre, and Made for You by Lauren Layne

Title: In Your Dreams (Blue Heron, #4) 
Author: Kristan Higgins
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: September 30th, 2014

Emmaline Neal needs a date. Just a date—someone to help her get through her ex-fiancé's wedding without losing her mind. But pickings are slim in Manningsport, New York, population 715. In fact, there's really only one option: local heartthrob Jack Holland. Everyone loves Jack, and he won't get the wrong idea…. After all, Jack Holland would never actually be interested in a woman like Em. Especially not with his beautiful ex-wife creeping around, angling to reunite ever since he rescued a group of teens and became a local hero. But when the wedding festivities take an unexpectedly passionate turn, Em figures it was just one crazy night. Jack is too gorgeous, too popular, to ever end up with her. So why is she the one he can talk to about his deep, dark feelings? If Em is going to get her dream man, she'll have to start by believing in him…

I have mixed feelings concerning this latest from Higgins. On one hand, I definitely feel as if the quality of the novels in this series are declining--largely in part due to the excellence of the first novel, The Best Man, which just can't be beaten. On the other hand, though, I did really enjoy the latter half of this story. I feel as if the characters--Jack and Emmaline--don't share a classic love story trajectory which is refreshing. Emmaline, in particular, has always been thought to be a lesbian due to her muscular body type which doesn't conform with the typical norms of beauty. Thus, to watch her struggle with that perception and to witness Jack fall in love with her and find her sexy and beautiful just the way she was was incredibly sweet. Moreover, Jack's ex-wife--though causing a fair bit of unnecessary drama--nicely clinches the "right" feeling of Emmaline and Jack together in a tasteful manner.

Yet, In Your Dreams is terribly bland and apathetic during the first half. I felt little for either of these characters during the fake wedding date plot thread outlined in the synopsis of the book. Moreover, it fails to truly expand upon the intriguing aspects of the story such as Jack's PTSD which he suffers as a result of being the rescuer, not the victim, which was a unique twist. In Your Dreams does, ultimately, put a smile on your face and the butterflies-in-your-stomach swoons are downright lovely by the end but it isn't a favorite or a must-read of Higgins, I will acknowledge that. (Also, what's up with the snowy/Christmas-y cover? I don't remember all that much winter spirit in this novel...O.o.)

Other Kristan Higgins novels I've reviewed: Catch of the Day, Too Good to Be True, Somebody to Love, The Best Man, The Perfect Match, and Waiting on You

Title: As Long As You Love Me (2B Trilogy, #2) 

Author: Ann Aguirre

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: September 30th, 2014

Most people dream about getting out of Sharon, Nebraska, but after three years away, Lauren Barrett is coming home. She has her reasons; missing her family, losing her college scholarship. But then there's the reason Lauren can't admit to anyone: Rob Conrad, her best friend's older brother. Football prowess and jaw-dropping good looks made Rob a star in high school. Out in the real world, his job and his relationships are going nowhere. He's the guy who women love and leave, not the one who makes them think of forever; until Lauren comes back to town, bringing old feelings and new dreams with her. Because the only thing more important than figuring out where you truly belong is finding the person you were meant to be with.

I enjoyed this novel considerably less than its predecessor, likely because it read merely as a love story opposed to a tale belonging to the New Adult genre. Moreover, I found the conflict--while certainly important--to emerge too late in the story line. We spend more than 75% of the novel believing our characters are working through certain issues only to uncover an entire back story much later. Yet, that being said, As Long As You Love Me is certainly a worthwhile read. Much like its predecessor, it still fails to break new ground in the New Adult genre but its strong female friendships, gentle romance, and tight-knit family bonds make it a tale to enjoy, if not quite remember. 

Other Ann Aguirre novels I've reviewed: Enclave, Bronze Gods, Silver Mirrors, Sirantha Jax Series, I Want it That Way

Title: Made For You (The Best Mistake, #2) 

Author: Lauren Layne

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: October 28th, 2014

Some mistakes are worth making...

Eh. I love these types of antagonistic love stories but I found the protagonist, Brynn, to be far too selfish and stubborn to truly enjoy this. We met both Will and Brynn in the previous novel in this series but only briefly--enough to know that Will loved Brynn and Brynn simply saw him as a one-night stand. Now, three years later, Will is back in Brynn's life after unexpectedly moving to Boston and, this time, he has plans to win Brynn over once and for all. Brynn, however, refuses to change her opinion of Will despite the efforts he takes to present his true self to her, not the antagonistic rudeness they've grown comfortable with. Unfortunately, I felt as if Brynn takes advantage of Will a bit too much and wasn't a fan of her character the same way I was of her younger sister, Sophie. Not a bad read, just not Layne's best. :/ 

Other Lauren Layne novels I've reviewed: Isn't She Lovely, After the Kiss, Love the One You're With, Just One Night, Only With You, Broken