The Heartless City (The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles #1) by Andrea Berthot

Curiosity Quills Press
Published Aug. 17, 2015
241 Pages

Henry Jekyll is an amazing doctor that was desperate to save the world he ended up creating a new species of monsters. For years, he was able to keep this secret to himself… that is until he decided to tell his rich friends. In the end, his drug was mass produced into a pill, creating monsters roaming the London streets resulting in a quarantine.

 13 years later, London is unrecognizable and still under quarantine. Elliot Morrissey, son of a prominent doctor and cure seeker, has had a freak accident of his own and now is able to feel everything from everyone he is around. He finds an ally in Iris Faye, a waitress who has some of her own special abilities.

Together they try to find, who is still make moves after the death of Jekyll.

 

*Short Review*

 

This wasn’t a bad read but it isn’t for me. I liked the beginning and I love the concept of this book. But its flare died down and I was shocked at how open and honest Elliot and Iris were to each other so soon. I thought their romance was cute but it was nothing that got my heart pumping and wanting to know more about.

The pace of the novel was only slow because of the tone; the dullness of it stayed throughout the book even when things were well. This killed the book for me because I felt nothing. I didn’t like Elliot. He was overly sensitive to the point where it was annoying and it made me doubt him as a leading character. I don’t mind sensitivity but have something to back it up with. Iris was alright. There nothing too spectacular about her that I am going to comment on. I wanted more development from the both of them. I feel that they remained the same throughout the book.

Despite that I thought it was a good story. It was a twist to a classic we all know and although the story was predictably from beginning to end, the author did do a good job highlighting a side that no one has thought of.

I wanted more intensity within this novel, less predictability, more character development and spark . . . a lot of spark in the romance. Overall, this wasn’t for me.

2.5 Pickles

Book Review: Treasure, Darkly (Treasure Chronicles #1) by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

Curiosity Quills Press
Published Feb. 15, 2015
289 Pages

Clark Treasure assumes that the drink he stills out the pockets of a Captain is absinthe; something his mother would never allow him to drink. But the drink turns out to be chemicals that give him the ability to wake the dead.

On the run from the army, Clark turns to his father, a man he has never met, for help. Surprisingly, the family he never knew, opens their arms to him and now Clark will do anything to protect them.

When his half-sister, Amethyst is shot in the heart, he saves her unhesitatingly but that is when the real troubles begin. 

I loved the cover. It gives off a sci-fi feel; like Cowboys verses Aliens type of feel. Therefore, I was a bit excited to read this book.

However, Amethyst was such a shallow ass, that I couldn’t believe she was the leading lady in this story. From the very beginning, you are so instantly turned off and you think she will get better in personality but no she doesn’t. She is a spoiled brat that only lets up very little throughout the book.

Clark wasn’t the best character either. Something about him didn’t actually make me believe he was a boy/man that had it rough. Let me clarify that; he wasn’t believable and that as rough to swallow because I needed a break from Amethyst.

The surrounding characters, however, played their part well and I couldn’t complain so it wasn’t an issue of writing that messed up the two mains but it was just a bad choice. I enjoyed the range of emotions within the surrounding characters. Like Clark, I was surprised with how open his father and step-mother were to having him there. But I didn’t think it was a bad look either.

Although I picked up the book and was pleased with the summary, I wasn’t too happy with the story. It was predictable. The author made the shocking secret too obvious by displaying a form of romance or interest from the very beginning. I feel that this story could have been cleaned up a lot better even though it followed very well and provided some kind of excitement.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this read.

1 Pickle

Book Review: Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon by Rena Rocford

Curiosity Quills Press
Published Nov. 23, 2015
230 Pages

Allyson has really bad acne; so bad she cakes on make-up to hide it but it doesn’t stop the teasing she experiences at school. It also doesn’t help that she and her mom is constantly moving, so her friends are limited. When she meets Beth, a social outcast, she attaches to her quickly but that isn’t enough to help Allyson feel as if she doesn’t belong. 

The day before her birthday, Allyson finds out that she is part dragon and her best friend Beth is part troll.  Thinking this explains everything, Allyson doesn’t begin questioning life until Beth is accused of kidnapping a unicorn.

To prove her innocence, Allyson and Beth begin a journey to find the kidnappers and along the way find the truth about Allyson’s father. 

One of the most perfect covers I have seen in 2015. I solely picked up this book because of the cover. It was love.

Anyway, this book is for middle schoolers just getting into the fantasy genre. There is no way in the world I would recommend this for a Young Adult or an Adult because it comes off as if the author is trying too hard. So my review is purely from the standpoint of would I let my nieces read it. Bottom line is yes; I wouldn’t mind them reading it.

The author decided to take a less complicated approach with the characters especially Allyson. She took almost everything fairly easy as if being a dragon happens all the time. There wasn’t much emotion out of her until crap couldn’t have gotten worst and then she made it worst.

I didn’t really understand her relationship with her mom. I understand why she was upset at her but the relationship was non-existing; even at the end it was just horrible. I wish there was some development with that. It would have made the ending better for me.

Although I would recommend this to middle schoolers, there was too much going on. It was just condense with almost every kind of fantasy creature. I was a bit over it. I felt that there was no need to have so many. Trolls, unicorns, dragons . . . . blah.

I thought it was nice pace and I also thought it was creative. But it isn’t for adults and I am okay with that. I think this is a wonderful introduction to fantasy for kids.

3 Pickles

Book Review: The Vampires’ Last Lover (Dying of the Dark Vampires #1) by Aiden James and Patrick Burdine

Curiosity Quills Press
Published Jan. 1, 2010

Txema Ybarra is 19 and a freshman at college, enjoying freedom and a sexy boyfriend that she cannot get enough of. But Txema is more special than she ever thought of. The tear drop birthmark on her neck is a symbol that only a handful of women in the world have.  It tells those that her blood is the key to eternal youth and beauty.

Because of this the women with this mark have been killed off, leaving Txema at the mercy of five vampires who promise to protect her from a rouge undead nation. Leaving everything she knows behind, Txema goes to France to save her life and her precious blood. 

*Short Review*

Two things happened when I started this book. I rolled my eyes and then I rolled my eyes again. How is it that a strange man appears in your room and you decide not to scream for help? Or how do you decide not to run to the door for your boyfriend, who is waiting for you? In what world, is any of those options okay to do?

I tried guys. I really did try to make it through this book but when two guys appeared in her dorm room and all she cared about was waking her roommate, I was done.

The story moves fairly quick. Normally I wouldn’t have an issue with this but nothing really sticks and nothing is really believable. Yes, I am aware this is a fantasy book but when you read something you should feel as if it has or is happening and you’re just taking a peak through the window. I felt so detached from the story. I felt that Txema and all of the characters were as uninteresting as a stack of leaves. I couldn’t picture her being this great human that saves the dangerously sexy vampires even as she being a hero.

I really couldn’t do it with this book but other people gave it amazing stars so for once . . . maybe it is just me.  But I cannot stress enough how much I rolled my eyes while reading this book.

1 Pickle