Month: November 2018

God of the Sun, by Kimberly Loth

As I have become more ‘mature’ I have a mixed relationship with young adult fiction.  I tend to get impatient with the heroines when they are selfish, indecisive, or flighty.  It isn’t about the writing, I understand teens can be that way, but I prefer strong heroines.

So, when I realized that The God of the Sun’s heroine, Zwaantie, was one of those teenagers, I knew I was in for a challenging read.  I wanted to like her, but she drove me crazy.

Despite that, I really enjoyed the book.  The world-building is impressive and the story line keeps you guessing what will happen next.  This is the first book in the series and the book ends with a dramatic cliff-hanger that leaves you wanting more.

The world is divided between the kingdoms of Sol and Stella.  In Sol there is abundant sunshine and across the wall in Stella there is none.  Zwaantie is the heir to the throne of Sol and her parents are ready for her to settle down, marry and take over the kingdom.  Zwaantie doesn’t want any of those things and she particularly doesn’t want to be queen–something she must keep a deep secret even from her close friends, her slave

 

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Rekindling Christmas by Rebekah Ganiere

No sooner had Jesse set foot in his old college town than her ran into the reason for his return.  Annika and Jesse had been engaged when he got an offer from the NFL.  Jesse left town to pursue his football dreams and Annika finished her degree and went on to teach at the same college.  Fifteen years later, Jesse is retired from football and realizes what he missed out on: the family he always wanted with Anna.

Anna resists his advances. She’s been hurt badly by Jesse’s departure and by other men.  If Jesse wants to win her back, he’s got a long road ahead of him.  Fortunately he has some allies:  Anna’s son T. J and a little blond girl who keeps popping up with advice.

This book Rebekah Ganiere’s first contemporary romance.  She does a great job.  The characters are deep and the conversation is snappy.  An enjoyable read.

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Slip into Bad Soul for a trip through the Uncanny Kingdom

I’m a peaceable person.  I don’t hit people, smash things or take contracts from demons.  Just getting that out there.  Still, sometimes it feels good to work out your mental aggressions by assuming the identity of a character in a book that is nothing like you.  So when I read Bad Soul, an urban fantasy by David Bussel and M. V. Scott, I could relate to the main character, Erin Banks.

When Erin was six, she was left to care for her baby brother while her parents went next door for a drink.  It was only supposed to be for half an hour, but Erin fell asleep and when she woke, the window was open and her brother was in the back yard, floating in a magical bubble.   Her parents can’t understand why Erin won’t just tell the truth, and don’t believe her confused and fragmented story of magic and streets that shouldn’t exist.  This becomes a turning point in Erin’s life and she realizes that she has to find out about magic and go after her brother.

Being a normal girl in a magical world, Erin needs an edge.  Her edge is a set of tattoos that give her strength, speed, healing, etc. This allows her to hold her own against paranormal creatures as she earns her living and tries to put the pieces together about her brother.

As the book opens, Erin serving time in prison when she is suddenly scheduled for release.  A mysterious stranger who is responsible eventually he makes his reasons clear:  he needs Erin to do a job for him.  In return, she’ll get some more information about her brother’s disappearance.  Easy, right? Just collect a soul promised to a demon from a guy who welshed on the deal.

I enjoyed being part of Erin’s world for a few hours.  The writing is very colorful with lots of British slang and strange and seedy characters.  The plot is fast and furious with unexpected developments and exciting scenes.  A nice piece of gritty urban fantasy.    This is the first book in the Uncanny ink series and part of a larger Uncanny Kingdom world.

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Mated to the Pack II by Jade Alters

As Mated to the Pack II begins, Courtney is ready to quit. She’s had enough of her assignment in Afghanistan. It’s too much. The heat, the dirt, the animals and wolves outside of camp….everything! Suddenly a handsome soldier she hasn’t seen before sticks his head in her tent and tells her they have to move, right then! She and the doctors are thrown into a truck and driven to an airstrip. Then the plane explodes and it’s just her and four remaining soldiers running for their lives in the wilderness. Will, Clay, Manny and Titan are doing their best to keep her safe while they figure out why they’re being attacked.

I enjoyed the book. The intensity of the beginning creates a tight bond between Courtney and the soldiers. The plot was exciting and the mystery was interesting. When the plot is discovered they all work together to come to a solution. I’m interested to read the other books in the series. Each book is a stand-alone story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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