What Tanya Wants: May 2017

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

What Tanya Wants: November 2016

Knopf Published Nov. 22, 2016 208 Pages

Bloomsbury Children’s Books Published Nov. 10, 2016 216 Pages

Lavabrook Publishing Group Published Nov. 15, 2016

NetGalley Review: The Decaying Empire (The Vanishing Girl #2) by Laura Thalassa

Skyscape
To Be Published April 21, 2015
329 Pages

For book one review check it here.

Ember Pierce has had a bad night. When she wakes up at a LA hospital, she remembers only one thing . . . someone set her up. As a government agent, who has the ability to teleport, Ember is use to dangerous situations but not like this.

Ember has been gone for 10 months and Caden Hawthorne is grieving her each and everyday. But when Ember teleports to his room, he thinks he sees a ghost but quickly realizes Ember is not the same.

Back and ready to truly be free, Ember and Caden are not only determined to stay together but to find a way out.

 

Yea. . . I  the read the second book and I don’t still like Ember nor do I like her relationship with Caden. However, this was a better book. The author developed more of a drama and action in the book. Also the pace kept the book going. Another thing I liked about the book that loved in the first one is the whole concept of government created agent decides to rebel. The whole teleporting thing doesn’t really do anything for me.

In regards to characters,  Caden grew into a decent character but I do think he should have been better at conveying his thoughts in regard to Ember’s choices. I felt that he just went along with things because he loved Ember and I didn’t agree with it. Ember may have changed physically but she still didn’t develop as she should. She still did a lot of things without completely thinking it through and she didn’t trust Caden. She really didn’t.

Overall I probably won’t read the third book because the predictability was there even though the author tried to hide it.

2 Pickles

 

NetGalley Review: The Vanishing Girl (The Vanishing Girl #1) by Laura Thalassa

Lavabrook Publishing Group
Published March 14, 2014
338 Pages

When Ember Pierce goes to sleep she teleports. She can go to anywhere in the world but only for ten minutes. Once the time is up she is back her in bed and for the past five years she has been able to hide this fact.

Until her she turns 18 and is captured by Caden, a handsome boy who just like Ember can teleport.  Sent to a remote facility, Ember and her new partner Caden are trained to do the government’s biding. But Ember is biding time for a escape but falling in love my make that difficult.

There are books out there in the world that makes you a hit a wall and at that wall you know things are going downhill. Well. . .  this was one of those books, which is sad because it start off well enough.

My biggest issue is how can you fall in love with the creeper who purposely tries to see you naked each and everyday (and succeeds)? In what world is that okay? Another issue which isn’t as big as the first one but still crap is Ember’s personality is horrible. She complains constantly, she cannot adapt, she doesn’t care to learn, nor cares to have some confidence and then have the nerve to be upset when things go wrong.

I felt her relationship with Caden was nothing but lust. She had no ambition to achieve or even use what she is taught to change her life. She was given the facts, the motivation to kick ass and nothing.

I credit the author for her ability to write because she is able to put a really clear image in my head. She was consistence with flow of time as well as the pace of the book.  This book was full of potential but characters, character development and some really wtf moments made this book a no.

1 Pickle.