Book Review | Blog Tour |The Swordsman’s Lament by G.M. White

Belasko thought he was beyond intrigues and machinations. But when the grief-stricken King demands vengeance, Belasko discovers he is expendable. His options are clear… find the real killer or satisfy the royal bloodlust.

With the forces of the palace mobilised against him he is thrust into the city’s bleak underbelly and must fight to discover the truth. With betrayal around every corner he must form unlikely alliances. Can the veteran warrior survive long enough to protect his friends and prove his innocence?- Goodreads

This is a good start to a series. I was surprised to have been invested into this book in such a short amount of time. Belasko is an interesting character who knows his stuff.

Belasko is unconventional in the sense that he already lived his life, did his fighting and now he just wants to take care of his students. I like this version of a hero. As a reader, I don’t see it often but in movies I see it a lot.

Although I wish he did more to give me that action pack I am the world’s deadlish former soldier, he is a old man (old for the book) just trying to live his life without mess.

I liked the characters of this book and the world building but it was slow. The book was dreadfully slow. About 20% into the book it lost steam. Which is unfortunate because there is good foundation within this book.

Overall, there is something about this book that makes you want to pick up book two.

3 Pickles

Book Review | These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin

Inkyard Press
TBP Sept 8th, 2020
384 Pages

Whenever something scandalous happens at Heller High, the Red Court is the name on everyone’s lips. Its members–the most elite female students in the school–deal out social ruin and favors in equal measure, their true identities a secret known only to their ruthless leader: the Queen of Hearts.

Sixteen-year-old Ember Williams has seen firsthand the damage the Red Court can do. Two years ago, they caused the accident that left her older sister paralyzed. Now, Ember is determined to hold them accountable…by taking the Red Court down from the inside.

But crossing enemy lines will mean crossing moral boundaries, too–ones Ember may never be able to come back from. She always knew taking on the Red Court would come at a price, but will the cost of revenge be more than she’s willing to sacrifice?- Goodreads

There is no way in the world this book should have been this long and ended the way it did. I needed to say that first before anything.

I liked this book. I loved the concept that Ember is going in to take down the woman that destroyed her sister’s life. Its that will they become the evil they hate quest that gets me every time and the fact that it is set in high school makes it a mix of creepy and thrilling at the same. Creepy because it reminds me of politics.

The pace of novel was going really well until about 30% of the book. It was a lot of “I’m going to get the Queen” speeches she was giving herself and it was happening so often it was becoming redundant.

Ember did a lot of complaining and less trying to find information which was another thing that was getting tiring. How you going to do all those “this is what I am fighting for” speeches but then actually don’t do anything. Waiting for information to fall on your lap is boring especially with access to things that Ember had accessed to.

In regards to Ember herself. She was okay. Her focus was the court and protecting her family and that was all she did. Did I like her? My feelings for her are indifferent. She played her role of a teenager out for revenge very well and that was enough for me.

However, this book was too damn long. There was a lot of build up for an ending that was not good. Which is a shame because what I thought was going to happen didn’t. It went real left and I liked that.

But because the author decided to focus on building the tension and the thrill it took a lot a way from the book.

I liked this book but I could have liked it way more.

Overall,

2.5 Pickles

Book Tour | Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest | Recommendations

 

Roaring Brook Press
TBP August 25th 2020
336 Pages

Black Love . .  be it between family, friends or strangers is a beautiful thing.  Kristina Forest’s latest book Now That I’ve Found You is a reminder that love comes in all forms, can be renewed and embraced at the hardest of times.

Now That I’ve Found You is about 18 year old Evie Jones , the blow she took on her career, the journey she takes to get it back and a boy who is there along the way.  This story is about love renewed but not only between people (family, friends and stranger) but for a craft/career.

There were three books that (are currently available for purchase or rent)I instantly thought of once I finished reading this one. Three books that display love on different levels between family, friends and strangers.

Disney-Hyperion TBP July 7th 2020 304 Pages

These books compliment Now That I’ve Found You extremely well and I highly recommend as your next read.  As I mentioned, the three books shown above are currently released and are available to read. HOWEVER, there are two other reads that appear to be just as a good compliment to Now That I’ve Found You .

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera CR: Bloomsbury

It is important to understand that Black love is not just a complicated relationship due to the systematic racism that Black people face. Black Love is joy despite that constant heartache and Now That I’ve Found You as well as all of these books displays that.

Now That I’ve Found You releases on August 25th at major and independent bookstores as well as any store that sells ebooks. You can also request it at your local library (if they don’t have it tell them to get it)

:)

Book Review: The Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar

Penguin
Published July 9th, 2020
288 Pages

Aleja whiles away her days in her family’s dusty tavern in Seville, dreaming of distant lands and believing in the kind of magic that she’s only ever read about in books. After all, she’s always being told that girls can’t be explorers.

But her life is changed forever when adventure comes for her in the form of a fabled vessel called the Ship of Shadows. Crewed by a band of ruthless women, with cabin walls dripping with secrets, the ship has sailed right out of a legend. And it wants Aleja.

Once on board its shadowy deck, she begins to realize that the sea holds more secrets than she ever could have imagined. The crew are desperately seeking something, and their path will take them through treacherous waters and force them to confront nightmare creatures and pitch-dark magic. It will take all of Aleja’s strength and courage to gain the trust of her fellow pirates – and discover what they are risking everything to find.- Goodreads

What a wildly creative book.  I love the fact that this book isn’t about a girl wanting to leave her currently life or being forced to leave her current life due to trauma. She wants adventure and unexpectedly gets a ticket to be part of an adventure.

The first half of the book not a whole lot happens. The author takes the time to build up the characters, the allure of the ship and legend that Aleja was reading right before she unknowingly embarked on the journey.  This slow build up is worth it because once things get going you sucked back into the world.

However, there were things that I was logging for within this novel. This is about a band of pirates. Although they considered themselves a bit of Robin Hood, there wasn’t a lot of pirate stuff going on. They were a crew looking for something that was rightfully the Captains’. When I say that I wanted more pirate stuff, I don’t mean a bunch of backstabbing. What I mean is more looting and fighting.

Also I would have loved more details on the the legend. The author does a good job adding information to fuel the legend but not enough about it. It was a little vague and brushed over. I would also like to point out there is a Mummy reference and at that point I knew what I would rate this book.

Overall, I really liked this book and looking forward to the next one.

4 Pickles

Blog Tour: Catalyst by Tracy Richardson

Brown Books Publishing Group
TBP June 2nd 2020
248 Pages

Marcie Horton has a sixth sense. Not in the “I see dead people” way, but . . . well, maybe a little. She feels a sort of knowing about certain things that can’t be explained-an intuition that goes beyond the normal. Then there was that one summer four years ago, when she connected with a long-departed spirit . . . But nothing that incredible has happened to Marcie since.

This summer, Marcie is spending time working at Angel Mounds, the archaeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. The dig is the site of an ancient indigenous civilization, and things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke. The two mysterious dig assistants reveal their abilities to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds-something Marcie knows only vaguely that her brother has also had experience with.

Marcie learns how our planet will disintegrate if action is not taken, and she and her team must decide if they are brave enough to help Lorraine and Zeke in their plan to save Mother Earth, her resources, and her history. It looks like the summer just got a lot more interesting. – Goodreads

Welcome to my stop on the Catalyst Book Tour!!!!

This was an interesting read because I felt like I should have read the first book. There were a few references to what happened previously but nothing specific in there that threw up a flag. However, the way the book was written it was as if the events from the first book was the elephant in the room that was only occasionally looked at from the side eye.

Beyond this the events of this book was not what I was expecting. It is science fiction but VERY science fiction and it was unexpected, which is a good thing. Predictability drops book ratings.

But the story. . .  not my cup of tea. Marcie is extremely honest and open. It not even her being naive, its her willing to be this way after the events from the previous book. She is young and she tries to come off older and wiser than what she is and it doesn’t exactly flow well.

What I liked about the book was the archaeological dig and the history that surrounds it.  I would have liked to have seen actual Natives discussing this history with the students and professors, it would have added much more depth to the novel. 

The pace of the novel moves pretty fast but there is a clear direction with some surprising turns.

Overall, the foundation of this novel  (because it is read as a standalone) is a good start to a series that can be detailed, historical and just genuinely cool.  I wanted more, especially seeing the science fiction aspect of it.

 

#UltimateBlogTour Day 9: After the Green Withered by Kristin Ward

Self Published

They tell me the country looked different back then. 
They talk of open borders and flowing rivers. 
They say the world was green. 
But drought swept across the globe and the United States of the past disappeared under a burning sky. 

Enora Byrnes lives in the aftermath, a barren world where water has become the global currency. In a life dominated by duty to family and community, Enora is offered a role within an entity that controls everything from water credits to borders. But it becomes clear that not all is as it seems. From the wasted confines of her small town to the bowels of a hidden city, Enora will uncover buried secrets that hide an unthinkable reality. 

As truth reveals the brutal face of what she has become, she must ask herself: how far will she go to retain her humanity?- Goodreads

Before jumping into the review, you all have to understand that After the Green Withered won the 2018 Best Indie Award in Young Adult Fiction! So congratulations, Ms. Ward!

Enora Byrnes isn’t exactly having the time of her life. Her parents, who no longer feel or act whole, follow a system called “company.” You know its one of those we are here to help you because the world you once knew ended but Enora doesn’t agree with this lifestyle, which creates a divide between her and her parents. I know that this sounds typical; something that has been done before, however, this book has a completely different feel.

I chalk this up to writing style and a form of familiarity.

With all dystopia books, there are references to technology and modern world. I liked that. I like feeling a connection with a book beyond the characters and that is what the book gives. Despite literally the world being nothing like we know now, there is a connection to what is happening now i.e. the constant invasion of privacy, the constant looking over your shoulder because you don’t know who to trust because someone can turn in on you. It sounds weird but I like that the author was able to add this specific feeling into her novel.

However, the book was slow. There is a lot of building, which is fine but when things reached the peak, I did not feel the YES! I was waiting for. It just felt like “well alright. At least we are getting somewhere.” Do I think the author did a good job developing the story, setting and characters? Yes, it just happened to be a bit slower than I expected and wanted.

In regards to characters. . . Enora was alright. There is a lot of growth with her and I am actually looking forward to see how she grows in the next book. The ending made it very clear things weren’t done and I am cool with that. The cliffhanger didn’t exactly make me upset that there was a cliffhanger but I was more like thinking if I want to read another book. And the answer is yes, yes I would.

Overall,

3 Pickles

When you get the chance, check out the other posts on this ultimate blog tour!

A Tale of Two Pages
Out of This World SFF Reviews
Hiding Behind Books
Never Enough Books
Looking Glass Reads
Cats Luv Coffee
The Artsy Reader
Bookmarks and Stages

Blog Tour: The Uncrossing by Melissa Eastlake

Entangled Teen
Published Oct. 2, 2017
292 Pages

Luke can uncross almost any curse—they unravel themselves for him like no one else. So working for the Kovrovs, one of the families controlling all the magic in New York, is exciting and dangerous, especially when he encounters the first curse he can’t break. And it involves Jeremy, the beloved, sheltered prince of the Kovrov family—the one boy he absolutely shouldn’t be falling for.

Jeremy’s been in love with cocky, talented Luke since they were kids. But from their first kiss, something’s missing. Jeremy’s family keeps generations of deadly secrets, forcing him to choose between love and loyalty. As Luke fights to break the curse, a magical, citywide war starts crackling, and it’s tied to Jeremy.

This might be the one curse Luke can’t uncross. If true love’s kiss fails, what’s left for him and Jeremy?- Goodreads

Well well.. this was something I was not expecting. Jumping right into this the book is a bit cliche. Breaking the curse for a chance of love with the one you really want. We’ve heard it and read it before. The thing about it you are reminded how much you have heard this before.

Jeremy is the perfect human being that is getting hit with the worst things possible and needs saving, a real good hug and love. But the thing with Jeremy is despite that he was an entitled brat and at times came off really, really annoying. Like roll your eyes status  I liked Luke with his “we can do this at any cost” attitude. But there romance was a little weird for me. Personally, Jeremy wouldn’t even be the last person on earth, I would speak to. I would avoid him. So it was interesting to see Luke falling for him.

I did enjoy the romance between the two but it seemed to die down as the book went on and I wasn’t too thrilled with that. I wanted that spark to keep burning for like ever.

What I loved was the setting and how the author created this magical world. I wanted more from this world. Not necessarily Luke or Jeremy but the author did some really good stuff creating the environment in which magic rules.

But the book despite it being only 292 pages on the ebook felt long and at times I felt the author was reaching. There was too much repetition within the book especially with Luke and Jeremy fighting. Also the lack of backstory was a killer. I love when books jump right into things but questions that would normally come in the beginning need to show up during the book.

Also the ending could use some work. Leaving it open for either a book two or just because isn’t appeal and can come off as lazy.

Overall, it was an alright read. There is ton of potential and the author can pull you into a world. The trick is keeping you there.

2 Pickles