Book Tour Book Review: The Gilded King by Josie Jaffrey

Self Published
Published June 25, 2018
303 Pages

In the Blue, the world’s last city, all is not well.

Julia is stuck within its walls. She serves the nobility from a distance until she meets Lucas, a boy who believes in fairytales that Julia’s world can’t accommodate. The Blue is her prison, not her castle, and she’d escape into the trees if she didn’t know that contamination and death awaited humanity outside.

But not everyone in the Blue is human, and not everyone can be contained.

Beyond the city’s boundaries, in the wild forests of the Red, Cameron has precious little humanity left to lose. As he searches for a lost queen, he finds an enemy rising that he thought long dead. An enemy that the humans have forgotten how to fight.

One way or another, the walls of the Blue are coming down. The only question is what side you’ll be on when they do. – Goodreads

This is not your typical vampire story and I am here for it. I am just going to jump in and say it that although Julia’s and Cameron’s story are connected (they told separately but trust me its completely fine and works fantastically), I found myself more engaged with Julia’s side than Cameron’s. Normally, I would figure it was due to me be able to empathize with her because she is a human that was dealt with a trash card but I actually liked her beyond that. She had a grit to herself that didn’t completely define her. She was able to still open herself to experiences outside of what she has always known or thought of and it made her an easier and enjoyable character to read.

Cameron was a bit. . . not annoying but a “alright, I get it. You have a chip on your shoulder, you’re trying to find the girl and life sucks.” His emotions became a bit redundant because it was constantly being repeated “I won’t come back until I find her.”

However despite this, I fully enjoyed reading both point of views because they provided, very clearly, details about what was going on each side. Although one side was human and the other vampire, as a reader you are able to sympathize with both of them and understand why things are happening in the way that they are.

The pace of the novel was really good. It was easy to get sucked into the world because you know it is full blown mess with hope of redemption once you meet Julia. The setting was clear and detailed without dragging on. Although I wish more for some more history and intensity, a reader couldn’t go wrong picking up this book.

Overall,

3 Pickles

Short Story Book Review: A Trinity of Wicked Tales Volume One- Jilted Love by Kyla Ross

Self Published
Jan. 29th 2017
94 Pages

In this collection of dark tales lives will be savagely twisted, inner demons will be reawakened and deception will reign supreme. A quest for a fix turns bloody for two heroin addicts as their vicious endeavors land them into a gruesome pitfall. A marketing executive and car salesmen are deceived by the ones they love. Armed with rage, they set out to slaughter those responsible. -Goodreads

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting with this collection. It was a suggested read from Amazon, while I was on vacation. I am really glad I read this book.

It literally gives you a taste of what the author can do. Seriously… all you get is a taste because each of the stories take care to not dip too much into a specific character or the overall plot.

The first story called Junk for Two was a great start to the book. Ross leaves no hints to where the story is going and I am completely for that. It provided enough of a backstory and details regarding the main character, Trev, that I didn’t feel as if something was missing. As I was reading this short story, I had a sense of satisfaction, which is my biggest issue in short stories.

Story 2, Iris, was extremely quick and came off more as a shock factor then a story that can grown to become a full novel or even novella. With work it can become something bigger but in its current state, it doesn’t leave much to be desired. But it does get credit for showing off writing skills. Ross can build a story, so it is easy to get sucked in.

My favorite story, which happens to be the last is story 3, Phil. Sticking with the obsessive theme, Phil provides a much more detailed and intense story-line than the previous stories. This story can become not just a single novel but a series if written correctly. What I loved about it was how easy it was to see the events happening. I don’t mean predictability even though it is there slightly. What I mean is the flow was so easy and seamless that getting sucked into the story and wanting more was inevitable. If the first two stories does not show you the skill, Ross has then this one does.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick read. I would recommend it as a introduction to Kyla Ross.

3 Pickles

Book Review: Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa

Lavabrook Publishing Group
Published Nov. 15, 2016

Callypso Lillis is a siren that from the outside looking in has a pretty good life. A successful business with her best friend, a gorgeous shape shifting boyfriend and a beautiful home.

However, bracelets stretching on her arm, show that her life hasn’t been the easiest to obtain. Beads of magical IOUs, from the Bargainer remind Callypso that someday she will have to pay back those favors. After seven years of silence, the Bargainer has come to collect and he is looking for much more than a simple repayment; he needs Callypso and her skill as a siren to save the Otherworld. 

I like this author. She has a way of surprising you and I was pleasantly surprised with this book. If you are looking for something dark and creepy as the cover makes it seem, this is not that type of book.

There is heavy romance in this book and for a while it gets redundant. However, the background, which is the foundation for the next book, is pretty good. The Bargainer, who is also a Fae king, has alternative motives that get really annoying to figure out. You are not sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy til around the end of the book. What I wanted more in regards to him was a better description of how he looked. For most of the book, I couldn’t see him. Yes, he is described but that description didn’t stick and follow for me. I also would have loved more personality from him as well and a deeper back story.

Callypso was interesting because I didn’t dislike her but then again, I cannot say that I liked her either. Her personality was missing. There were glimpses but I don’t who she is or how to really describe her. Maybe headstrong? The same goes for the Bargainer.

What I loved about the book was the back and forth between the past and the present. So, you know how the two meet and what their relationship consist of. I really loved that. The book kept my attention from beginning to end. But I didn’t like the ending. I felt that what happened to Callypso didn’t really fit with the story. It was un-needed at least for me.

I look forward to the next book but I am slightly weary. Me and this author have an interesting relationship because the first book will be great, the second book stale and the last book great.

Overall,

4 Pickles

Book Review: Preparing My Daughter For Rain:: notes on how to heal and survive. by Key Ballah

Self Published
Published Aug. 24,2014
106 Pages

A collection of poetry for daughters, future daughters and women about how to heal and survive. 

This is going to be short review and that is because I do not have the words to describe this other than deep and powerful.  I wasn’t expecting much and that is because its been a hit and miss for me with poetry; mostly because I am not at a point in my life where I am sad nor am I obsess or desperate about love and being in love (long statement I know).

But anyway, this book, this poetry moved me so much. To say I am not an emotional fragile woman at this moment, would be a lie. The words were so honest but followed so beautifully without the fillers and the whimsical ideas. It reminded me of my past and made me feel for my future. It also made me think of mom a lot, which is the purpose but I really thought about my mom and who she was before kids.

I love this book and although I go it for kindle unlimited, I have every intentions of buying it for my library. I fell for this book and I think each time I read it I will learn something new about myself, women and my mom.

Powerful…powerful read I would recommend to all women for themselves and their daughters.

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: 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