The Unholy (Krewe of Hunters, #6) by Heather Graham

Description:

A Hollywood shrine hides unholy deeds The 1940s: hard-boiled detectives and femmes fatale are box-office gold. In one iconic scene, set in a deserted museum, the private eye arrives too late, and the buxom beauty is throttled by an ominous Egyptian priest. Now: the Black Box Cinema immortalizes Hollywood's Golden Age in its gallery of film noir tributes. But the mannequin of that Egyptian priest is hardly lifeless. He walks-and a young starlet dies a terrifying death. Movie mogul Eddie Archer's son is charged with the grisly murder. Eddie calls agent Sean Cameron, who specializes in...irregular investigations. As part of an FBI paranormal forensics team, Cameron knows that nightmares aren't limited to the silver screen. Working with special-effects artist Madison Darvil-who has her own otherworldly gifts-Cameron delves into the malevolent force animating more than one movie monster....(Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:

This is book 6 in Krewe of Hunters series; thank you Harlequin Mira and Netgalley for chance to review this book.

The main protagonist in this book is Sean and Madison; Sean is a FBI agent now while Madison is special effects artist. In this story Sean and his team are called in to investigate a murder of a young woman who was killed in the Black Box Cinema. Madison is assigned to the team to show them around the theatre and to help with the investigation since she also has some special abilities.

This was a good story, it was entertaining and very fast read for me. There was some mystery, but I was able to figure out who the murderers were in the first half of the book. Also there was some romance going on too, between Sean and Madison, they are cute couple and I liked them together. But I do wish that there was bit more chemistry and romance between them, since this is for the most part a romance book.

Overall this was a good read for me, and I am looking forward to reading other books in this series. It had mystery, good characters, romance, and murder.

I give this book 4/5 STARS - Happy Reading!!!

Krewe of Hunters Series:

1. Phantom Evil
2. Heart of Evil
3. Sacred Evil
4. The Evil Inside
5. The Unseen
6. The Unholy
7. The unspoken
8. The Uninvited

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Description:

Kendall loves her life in small town Cryer¹s Cross, Montana, but she also longs for something more. She knows the chances of going to school in New York are small, but she's not the type to give up easily. Even though it will mean leaving Nico, the world's sweetest boyfriend, behind.

But when Cryer's Cross is rocked by unspeakable tragedy, Kendall shoves her dreams aside and focuses on just one goal: help find her missing friends. Even if it means spending time with the one boy she shouldn't get close to... the one boy who makes her question everything she feels for Nico.

Determined to help and to stay true to the boy she's always loved, Kendall keeps up the search--and stumbles upon some frightening local history. She knows she can't stop digging, but Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried....(Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:

I've read The Wake Trilogy while back and I was not very much impressed by it. I know I did not like the authors style of writing, actually I thought that was very poorly written. That was one of the reason I have not red any of her other books. But when I saw that they had Cryer's Cross at the library I thought I should give this author another try. I have to say that this book was so much better than The Wake Trilogy, much better story line, better writing and better characters overall.

Cryer's Cross was good and entertaining and had some elements of mystery. Mystery about the disappearing kids was alright, but in my opinion there wasn't enough of mystery. Kendall was an interesting character and I really liked her. I was bit annoyed by her OCD, but than I do not have OCD and I really do not understand it. I know what it is and what it can do to people, but you can not truly understand something until you experience it. What I liked about Kendall is her determination not to let OCD rule her life completely, but rather she struggles to control it, but if she is not able to control it in some instances then she tries to minimise its influence on her life.

As I already said, comparing to the Wake trilogy this book was much better written, more smooth and it flowed better.  Characters were well constructed and developed; supporting characters were also interesting and well thought out. 

One thing I though was lacking was the supernatural aspect of the story.  It was not well developed; it was just skimmed over.  I wanted to see more, but rather we are only given a brief explanation at the end as to what happened and why. 

Overall this was a fast and entertaining read, I enjoyed reading it and I am glad that I decided to give it a try.  I give this book 3/5 STARS - Happy Reading!!!

Seizure (Virals, #2) by Kathy Reichs

Description:

The second novel in the Virals trilogy from #1 bestselling author and inspiration for the TV series Bones - Kathy Reichs!

Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they've turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack! But now the very place that brought them together - the Loggerhead Island Research Institute - is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it!

So when Tory learns of an old Charleston legend about a famous she-pirate, Anne Bonney, whose fortune was never found, she can't believe her luck - buried treasure is exactly what she needs to save the Institute on Loggerhead! Trouble is, she and her friends aren't the only ones looking for it. And this time, the Virals' special powers may not be enough to dig them out of trouble . . .(Goodreads)


My Thoughts:

This is book two is Viral Series; I have read Virals few months ago and I have to say that I did enjoy it very much.  So when I saw that my local library had this book in their collection I checked it out and started reading right away. 

Tory Brennon and her pack of virals are facing yet another adventure.  They are looking for the pirate treasure that was hidden in Charleston by the pirates.  This book was filled with adventure, some history, humour, friendship, and parents.  I loved reading this book, and I think that I could have read it in one setting if I had  the time to do that. 

I loved this book, it was well written and there was a lot of character growth and development.  The only thing that I did not like is the "condition" that Tory and her four friends have was not main part of the story even though its the title of the series.  What I mean that we have not learned anything about Virals and their condition, the story mainly revolves around search for pirate treasure and the "condition" is just a secondary story.  I would like to see and learn more about the condition and what it really means for the group. 

AS much as I loved all the characters in this book, there were times when I wanted to shake them, especially Tory. I find that she runs head on into things without thinking them through, or thinking of the consequences. Oh yes lets steal a map from a museum, let break someone out from the mental hospital and so on. She really does not thing of the possible consequences for her (I should say their) actions. It’s not that I do not want the characters to take risks or anything like that, it’s the fact that there is not thinking about possible consequences involved. And for God sake if you are going to steal something from a museum that will most likely result in you getting arrested, at least try to do it so it’s not connected to you so easily. I mean what would be the point of them finding the treasure if they got arrested and sentenced for stealing. They would still be separated, would they not? Anyways that is my little rumble about the characters.

Overall this was a good read, as I already said it was packed with adventure, some action, humour and friendship.  I also liked the fact that the author brought back some of the characters from previous book, for example Chance was part of this story too.  I liked Chance and I am hoping to see him in the future books as well.  I am looking forward to reading book three, Code. 

I give this book 4/5 STARS - Happy Reading!!!

Virals Series:

1.  Virals
2.  Seizure
3.  Code - August 2, 2012

The Unseen (Krewe of Hunters, #5) by heather Graham

Description:

1800s. San Antonio, Texas: In room 207 at the Longhorn Saloon, in the long shadow of the Alamo itself, a woman renowned for her beauty was brutally murdered. Her killer was never found.

One year ago: In that same historic room, another woman vanished without a trace. Her blood was everywhere…but her body was never recovered.

Now: In the last month, San Antonio has become a dumping ground for battered bodies.

All young women, many of them long missing, almost all forgotten. Until now.

Texas Ranger Logan Raintree cannot sit by and let his city's most vulnerable citizens be slain. So when he is approached to lead a brand-new group of elite paranormal investigators working the case, he has no choice but to accept the challenge. And with it, his powerful ability to commune with the dead.

Among Logan's new team is Kelsey O'Brien, a U.S. marshal known for her razor-sharp intuition and a toughness that belies her delicate exterior. Kelsey has been waiting all her life to work with someone who can understand her ability to "see" the past unfolding in the present. Now she has her chance.

Together, Kelsey and Logan follow their instincts to the Alamo and to the newly reopened Longhorn, which once tempted heroes with drink, cards and women. If the spirits of those long-dead Texans are really appearing to the victims before their deaths, only Kelsey and Logan have the skills to find out why.

And if something more earthly is menacing the city's oldest, darkest corners, only they can stop it—before more innocent women join the company of San Antonio's restless ghosts… (Goodreads). 


My Thoughts:

I got this book from NetGalley; I have always been a fan of Heather Graham and I have read a quite few of her books.  Some I liked more than others, but overall I liked most of them. 

I have to say I really enjoyed reading this book, I read it in few days.  I loved everything about this book, it sucks you in the story from first page and I had hard time putting it down.  I wanted to know who the killer was, or what would happen next.  Ghost aspect of the story was very entertaining and kept me interested in the story.  Mystery part of the story was good and entertaining kept me guessing who the killer was.  I have to say that I was bit surprised about the ending and who the killer was, I was not expecting at all even though that person did cross my mind few times as I was reading the book. 

Characters were well thought out and developed; they are very much likable.  Kelsey O'Brien and Logan Raintree were good together and there was a lot of chemistry going on between them.  Romance part of the book was very well done as well and I liked the fact that it was not a main part of the story.  The author does focus on solving the murders rather than on Logan and Kelseys personal lives.  The author does dedicate some part of the book to their personal lives but only enough for us to get to know them.

Overall this was a good read, it has it all, mystery, suspense, ghosts, romance and murders.  If you are fan of Heather Graham and have not read this book yet then you should since this was a good and entertaining read. 

I give this book 4/5 STARS - Happy Reading. 

Krewe of Hunters Series:

1.  Phantom Evil
2.  Heart of Evil
3.  Sacred Evil
4.  The Evil Inside
5.  The Unseen
6.  The Unholly
7.  The unspoken
8.  The Uninvited

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers. #1) by Michelle Rowen

Description:

I don't do dangerous.

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha—that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me…something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing—and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me… (Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:

I got this book from NetGalley  for a review; I have read few books by Michelle Rowen while back and I enjoyed them very much so I though I give her YA books a try too. 

I have to say that I was bit hesitant since this is another book with angels and demons involved, but I still keep reading them.  Samantha (or Sam) was an ordinary teenage girl with an ordinary life aside with few issues, absentee father, mother who works to much.  Sam is smart, careful, caring, good friend and good person.  But when she kissed a boy that she had a crush on, at first she thought that it was the best kiss ever until she finds out that he took her soul.  With her sould missing she is now a gray plagued with constant hunger, but not for food. 

At first I was not sure if I was going to like this book, but few chapters in and I started to enjoy myself.  Samantha and Bishop were very much likable characters, I liked the way the author took time to develop their relationship.  I liked the fact that it was not love at first sight, but rather attraction at first sight and than love.  I also liked Kraven, and I can see the author using him as the second romantic interest for Samantha because there was some attraction there.  I liked Bishop, he was an interesting character, but we really do not to get to know him very well.  We only see him through Sam's eyes and as a reader I wanted more.  But for some reason I liked Kraven more, I do not know why, there was just something about him that appealed to me more than Bishop did. 

Story line was a good and really enjoyed the idea of angels and demons and how Heaven and Hell worked.  It was a very neath and original idea.  Overall this was a good read and entertaining; I am looking forward to reading book two in the series.  Lovable characters, good story line and good villain. 

I give this book 4/5 STARS - Happy Reading!!!

Nightwatchers Series:

1.  Dark Kiss
2.  Wicked Kiss - Coming Soon 2013

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Description:

Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come.

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting—before it destroys her future (Goodreads).

My Thoughts:

This is another of my library finds; when I saw that they had this book at the library I had to have it right away. I have heard and read so many good reviews about it, I just got sucked into the hype.

Did I like this book? Yes. Did I think it was so good that it deserved all the hype and five star reviews out there? No. Please do not get me wrong it was a good read and it was entertaining, but I was not sitting on the edge of a seat wondering what’s going to happen next. Yes there was some mystery to London’s memory loss and what’s her mother lying to her about.

I really liked the idea of memory reset, remembering the future and not the past. It’s a neat idea, but I wish that the author took more time and explained how her memory works. For a such big subject to tackle on the book was to short. London is able to function effectively in school and home through her notes that she reads each morning to recap. I can imagine that is a lot of notes! I personally think that London’s life was bit easy despite her memory loss (keep in mind that London know what happens in the future). You would think that her life would be more difficult but that hardship is never reflected in the story, other than that most of her peers think her strange.

Romance in the book was cute; I liked London and Luke together. I liked the fact that there was no head games going on between the two, like you see in so many other YA books. Mystery part of the book was alright, but it did not keep me at the edge of the seat. I was bit surprised to discover how and when London lost her memory. I knew that there was something that caused it but I did not know what. Writing was alright, nothing to complex, very easy and fast read. You can tell that this is a first time author but there is a lot of promise there. I just hope that the author evolves with her writing style in the future books. As much as I liked this book, it was to simple and too easy.

 

Overall this was an entertaining and fast read. It had a lot of good things going for It. I would like to see how this author evolves with her future books. Sometimes I find that a lot of YA authors do not evolve as authors but rather they are very static in their writing style. Always the same but never different. Anyways, I am not going to give this book five or four stars because I really do not think that it was that good. I would not give it more than three stars.

I give this book 3/5 STARS – Happy Reading!!!

A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lyndon Simonsen

Description:

When he meets Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy is already courting another young lady and now, in addition to his original qualms, he has a real matter of honor to overcome (Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:

I bought this book a while back but never got around to read it.  I love Pride and Prejudice, it is my favourite Jane Austen novel.  In turn I also like reading sequels to Pride and Prejudice.  This book picks up right after Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth at the assembly.  I have to say that I enjoyed this book and made me chuckle couple of times.   

Writing was alright, not Jane Austen style of writing but then you can not expect that from this book for one simple reason that this is not written by Jane Austen.  Darcy and Elizabeth were cute and good together, but than I am prejudices because I love them as a couple even if they are not Jane Austen type couple.  I am sure that if Jane Austen ever read this book she would probably faint or something because of how Darcy and Elizabeth are liberal with their affections toward each other, even though they were just kissing.  There is not a lot of historical accuracy in this book, interaction between man and woman, dances and so on were not portrayed correctly.  But even though this book lacked historical accuracy I was not bothered by that much, you just have to put that aside and enjoy the book. 

I liked the storyline and could not wait to see how Darcy and Elizabeth would manage to be together in the end.  I do believe that the obstacle between Elizabeth and Darcy was easy to overcome.  I wish that they had harder time getting together; it was just to easy and that made the book bit boring towards the end.  Anticlimactic! 

Overall this was good read, for entertainment purposes only.  If you can get past the historical inaccuracies and none Jane Austen type of writing then you might enjoy the book fine.  You just have to take this book for what it is, fluff. 

I give this book 3/5 STARS - Happy Reading!!!

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Description:

I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED (Goodreads). 


My Thoughts:

This my first book by Alex Flinn; also this whole time I thought that Alex Flinn was a he and not a she.  I was bit surprised to see a picture of a she on the book cover.  I am not sure why I thought author was a he, it must be the name.  For some reason I always think Alex is a male name only.  Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, it was very good.  Even though I have Beastly I never got around to reading it, not I will definitely have to read it. 

Cloaked, was a very well written book.  I loved the characters and loved what the author how the author give the  fairy tales a twist.  Here we have a frog prince, who is not so nice, but he is not a bad person.  We also have talking animals, frog, fox, swans, giants and so on.  There are witches and magical cloak's that give you ability to travel from one place to another.

Johnny, our main protagonist, is a lovable character, smart, caring, and funny.  He works as a cobbler in a five star hotel.  He and his mother own the store, but the money is very tight.  Johnny can't pass the opportunity when a princess offers him money and her hand in marriage if he helps he find her brother who was turned into a frog my a witch. 

There is a lot about friendship in this book, and about romance.  What I likes about this book is that romance is not right in your face, like we see in majority of YA books, but rather its secondary to the main storyline.  Overall this was an excellent read, it was fast paces, there was never a dull moment, fast read, humorous, full of adventure and entertaining characters.  If you like fairy tales with a twist than you might like this one. 

I give this books 5/5 STARS - Happy Reading!!!

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie‏

Description:

Rules Are Different Outside The Society

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever (Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:

Crossed is book two in Matched series.  I have to say that I was not that impressed with Matched when I read it few months ago (read review HERE).   But since the library had this book and it was free I decided to read it.  I am sorry to say that I would not go out a full price for this book based on the first book. I have seen a lot of good reviews about this series and I personally just do not see it. But after I finished Matched I was hoping that Crossed would be better, after all this is new and upcoming author (at least I think she is, but then again I might be wrong).  I was willing to give the series a second chance by reading Crossed like I said since they had it at the library.  But I have to say that Crossed is a letdown for me, which saddens me because I really do like the idea of this book. 

Second book is told from two POV, Cassie and Ky. In this book we learn more about Ky and who he is, where he is from. But I have to say I felt nothing for these characters, I had no sympathy or sadness or anticipation. Rather I was counting the pages till I was done reading this book. I really did not care whether Ky and Cassie found each other. I was bored with the constant monologue Ky and Cassie were having with themselves. Constant monologue about their love with each other and how they long to see each other again and how they long to recite poems to each other. The thing is I did not see or feel that love between them. It wasn’t very much believable that Cassie and Ky are in love with each other, they barely know each other. Also we see Xander come back in this book, he is only in one scene, but Cassie does think about him. Xander is Cassie’s match and he has a secret that Ky knows about but not Cassie. Is the author attempting a love triangle? I really do not understand Cassie and her reasoning for risking everything. I am not talking about the Society, but her family. She risks everything for a boy she barely knows and leaves her family behind in search of him. Talk about boy crazy!!!

I found the story line to be lacking, it just was not developed enough. The whole time I spent reading this book I felt that there was this wall that prevented the author from moving onto the next level. I do not know even if that makes any sense as to what I am trying to say by this. The story never reaches its potential because we have this constant chatter about Ky and Cassies love for each other. The author never explains who the Enemy is? Is Enemy the resistance, the villagers or someone else? There is never enough information about the Society, Enemy, or villagers, or resistance. I now that you can’t give everything away if the first few pages but there needs to be some background story. I just feel that there is not enough of background story but there is too much of Ky and Cassie story. The part about poems and writing, the author never explains why the society decided to do this. Why only keep hundred poems or hundred painting and so on? 

Overall as much as it saddens me to say this, this book was a disappointment. I was hoping that second book would be much better, but it was’t. There was not improvement in the story line or writing. Rather we have the same story line but in different location with few new characters. I have to say that for the most part there was nothing major happening in this story. There was not a lot of action, there wasn’t any anticipation as to what is going to happen next. But rather we have Ky and Cassie traveling in the outer provinces. Cassie searching for Ky and resistance, while Ky is just running away from the Society and hoping to see Cassie again. I really can’t see how the author will end the series in the next book because there is nothing to end with this series other than to bring Cassie and Ky to live happily ever after somewhere where society can’t reach them. If you have not started reading this series I would not bother reading it. But if you still want to read because you want to judge the book by yourself my advice is don’t expect too much from it. Do not get me wrong this book had a lot of potential but that potential was never brought forth to the readers. 

I give this book 2/5 STARS – Happy Reading!!!

Matched Series:

Matched

Crossed

Reached - Coming November 13th, 2012

Tempted By Her Innocent Kiss (Pregnancy & Passion #3) by Maya Banks‏

Description:

No Man’s Bargaining Chip

Devon Carter was her first; now newly wed Ashley wants their passion to last. But her dreams of true love are crushed by the discovery that their marriage is another of Daddy’s business deals. Her strategy: act the part of perfect wife and make Devon love her.

But Devon misses the bubbly, no-holdsbarred woman his wife used to be. Who is this Ashley with the steely demeanor of a society wife? And will he find a way to rekindle the fire in her eyes...especially now that she’s pregnant? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Another book from NetGalley. I was feeling like reading a Harlequin and I picked this one. I have not read any book by Maya Banks, but I have heard of her and most of it was good things. Once in a while I like to pick a Harlequin romance and read it, but I usually have to be in a right mood for it.

This book was short and sweet. It was well written; characters were lovable and entertaining. There is not much going on story wise other than girl falls in love with a boy and she finds out that the boy does not love her. But then boy realises that he made a mistake and that he actually does love he and they live happily ever after. Oh and girl gets pregnant and then they live happily ever after. I am being bit sarcastic but that is how these books are, but I still read them. 

Overall this was a good read for Harlequin Romance novel. If you are looking for a literary work this is not it. This does not require much brain power to read, this book is what I call brain candy. It was pretty well written and there was no boring or annoying moments, at least for me. But like I said I have to be in a right mood to read this type of a book.

I give this book 4/5 STARS – Happy Reading!!!

The Grave Robbers Of Genghis Khan (Children of the Lamp, # 7) by P. B. Kerr‏

Description:

The final installment of bestselling P. B. Kerr's magical Children of the Lamp series

Djinn twins John and Philippa are off on another enchanting, and dangerous, adventure in the last book in the bestselling Children of the Lamp series. As volcanoes begin erupting all over the world, spilling golden lava, the twins must go on a hunt for the wicked djinn who wants to rob the grave of the great Genghis Khan. Can the twins stop this latest disaster before the world is overwhelmed?

Join John and Philippa, their parents, Uncle Nimrod, and Groanin as they must defeat an evil more powerful than any they've ever faced before. . . . (Goodreads). 

My thoughts:

This is the end of the series people and I have to tell you I am very sad. I loved this series, it was one of the best series since Harry Potter. 

I have to say that book 7 was a bit slow for the last book in the series, I thought that it would be more action packed. Even though it was a bit slow, it was a excellent story and I loved every moment of it.  John and Philippa along with their uncle Nimrod are on their way to save the world. All the worlds volcanoes have become active and about to erupt which would cause a great disaster across every continent. In this book twins and their uncle travel on the flying carpet since travel with the whirlwind is out and all the plains are grounded due to the volcanoes spitting ash into the atmosphere. This story takes us to Italy, Afghanistan and to Mongolia and then back to Italy. I had to laugh about the villain and the reasons why he was doing what he was doing. It was funny in a way and bit ridiculous.

Groanin was also back in this book; he had his own separate story in the first part of the book. He is trying to quit his job and leave Nimroad services but that does not go as planned. Poor Groanin things never go his way. Eventually he finds his way back to Nimroad and they continue their adventure. But I have to say Groanin does not get any smarter, he is still dumb and in a way naïve.

Story line was excellent, very well done and well written. I liked how the book ended with Philippa and John even though that was not what I expected. But nevertheless it was a good ending. I do not want to give much away and ruin the story for those who have not read it yet. I am sad to see the end of this series but it was very good while it lasted. If you like HP books than you might like this series as well. It was very well written, with a lots of humour, action, heroes and villains. 

I give this book 5/5 STARS – Happy Reading!!!

Children of the Lamp series:

The Akhenaten Adventure

The Blue Djinn of Babylon

The Cobra King of Kathmandu

The Day of the Djinn Warriors

The Eye Of The Forest

The Five Fakirs of Faizabad

The Grave Robbers Of Genghis Khan

The Ninth Step by Barbara Taylor Sissel

Description:

Livie Saunders is fluent in the language of flowers; she taught the meanings to her fiancé, Cotton O'Dell, but then Cotton vanished without explanation on their wedding day forcing Livie to learn the language of desolation. Heartbroken, she buries her wedding gown beneath a garden pond and she resolves to move on, but there are nights when she slips . . . into a sequined red dress and a pair of stiletto heels, a stranger's bed, a little anonymous oblivion that is not without consequence. Still, she recovers a semblance of ordinary life and imagines herself content. After all, Cotton told her to forget about him. Livie even maintains a friendship with Delia, Cotton's mother, whom he also abandoned without a word of explanation.

Then, six years later, an unsigned card and a bouquet of irises signal Cotton's presence, but his reunion with Livie isn't as joyous as he had hoped. While she struggles to forgive him, Livie can't hide her own past and how she has changed since Cotton left.

Meanwhile, Cotton is still haunted by the crime that caused him to flee...a crime for which the legal clock is still ticking. For a moment, it seems they can both forget the past and rebuild their lives together, but then Cotton goes missing again.

Time telescopes, avenues of escape close, and as lives hang in the balance, choice teeters between mercy and revenge. And a decision that will take only a moment will carry the consequences of a lifetime.
THE NINTH STEP is a story of redemption, of being brought to your knees to face a monstrous error and somehow finding the strength to make it right. Even if that effort breaks your heart, endangers your freedom, and ultimately threatens your life (Goodreads). 


My Thoughts:

I requested this book from NetGalley, I thought it sounded interesting.  I have to say it was not what I expected, not that that is a bad thing. 

This book revolves around forgiveness; but it also deals with mistakes that people make some big some small.  But the main focus is forgiveness.  I am not sure that forgiveness is everything, personally I think that forgiveness is overrated.  When I read this book I asked myself who I ever forgive a drunk driver who kills my mother or anyone close to me for that matter.  I do not think I could or would want to forgive.  There are some things that you never can forgive or forget. 

Regardless of whether I would forgive Cotton, I still sympathise with him and what he did.  I know that he regrets what he has done, but it is little to late.  But at least he is trying to make amends, and it can not be easy to face the family and tell them that he is the one who killed their loved one in a hit and run.  It must be hard to face Livie after so many years and dealing with the fact that he left her at altar. 

Like I say I do not know if I could forgive any of this, hit and run or being left at the altar by the man I love.  But than again I have never been in this situation.  You never know what you would do if you are actually faced with this something like this.  If I say no I would not forgive, would that make me bitter and unable to move on.  I really do not think so.  I do not believe that you have to forgive someone in order to move on. 

Overall this was a good read and I really wanted to see what happens to Cotton.  I felt for him, and that tells me that the author did a very good job when she makes me sympathise with a drink driver who killed someone and run off.  Writing was good and characters were well defined and developed.  This was my first book by this author and I have to say that I liked and enjoyed it very much.  Even though this book deals with a serious issue the book is not too heavy on the subject matter which I liked. 

I give this book 4/5 STARS - Happy Birthday!!!

Leviathan (Leviathan #1) by Scott Westerfeld, Keith Thompson (Illustrator)

Description:

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever (Goodreads).

My Thoughts:

I’ve seen this book around different blogs, bookstore and other places. For some reason I never had any desire to read it, I thought that I was not interested in this book. I am not sure why I thought this since I did not even read the book description. Anyways, I was at the library and browsing through the YA book. I was not having any luck because I already read the books that I was interested in and the other half I was not interested or was not in the mood for that specific book. I saw that Leviathan was on the bookshelf I thought what the hell I’ll give it a try. The worst thing that could happen is me not liking the book. 

I was very much surprised by this book, I loved it. It was nothing I expected and I think that is why I loved it so much. It had a lot of history, actually one of my favourite European historical periods, Austro-Hungarian period. But my favourite part of the books was the machines, Darwinists machines characterized by the characteristics of the living creatures. While Clanker machines characterized by the mechanized features.

I loved the characters, Both Prince Aleksander and Deryn Sharp. They were well thought out characters, both were smart, fun, naïve, overconfident, and humorous. Deryn is actually girl disguised as a boy and goes by name of Dylan. As a girl she can not enlist into army and earn a spot on a air ship like Leviathan. So she disguises herself as a boy and signs up, with the help of her brother.  I was really impressed with Deryn, she is smart even though I thought that she was overconfident by thinking that she already knew everything that there is to know about flying. But Daryn was ready to admit that she did not know everything when she faced something that she did not know. At times I thought that she was trying to hard but then again she has to try to hard. She does not want anyone noticing that she is a girl, which is one of her biggest fears. 

Prince Aleksander was another character that I loved in this story, he is a Clanker and on the run from his people. His parents have been killed on their visit to Sarajevo. And if you know anything about WWI then you will know that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenburg was what started the WWI. I really love how the author uses Austro-Hungarian history as part of the story line. Aleksander is on the run, there are people who want to see him dead, because he is next in line for the throne. 

I like the fact how the author keeps Aleksander’s and Daryn’s story separate for the first part of the book. They do not come together till second half of the book. This way you see two characters independently of each other. 

Overall this was a great read and I can not believe I did not read this before. I will have to go and get the second book as soon as I get the chance. I want to know what happens next. This book was excellent, writing was great and smooth. There were no awkward sentences or paragraphs that make no sense. Story line flowed nicely and it was consistent. Characters were well developed; they were vibrant and entertaining. Also each chanter in this book was accompanies with illustrations and I have to say they were done beautifully. 

I give this book 5/5 STARS – Happy Reading!!!

Leviathan Series:

1.  Leviathan

2.  Behemoth

3. Goliath

A Touch of Greek (Out of Olympus #1) by Tina Folson‏

Description:

Selfish and gorgeous Greek God Triton is cast out of Olympus after seducing Zeus’ mistress and can only gain reentry if he finds a woman who loves him for his kindness and selflessness, not his beauty. When the mortal Sophia – recovering from an eye operation and virtually blind – needs a home healthcare worker, he takes on the role, hoping she will be his ticket home.

While defending Sophia from an unknown adversary, Triton’s protective instinct emerges. At the same time rival Gods do everything to doom him to failure. And even if Triton can win Sophia’s love, will he throw it away to return home, or will he lose his own heart to the only woman who truly sees him?

A Touch of Greek is the first book in the humorous and sexy paranormal romance series Out of Olympus following the romantic adventures of four Gods: Triton, Dionysus, Eros, and Hermes (Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:

I got this book from NetGalley, when I saw that it was about Greek goes and mythology I got excited. I was in the mood to read something romantic missed with mythology. But I have to say I was bit disappointed with this book. There was no mythology other than a fact that the main male character is a minor Greek God. There are few other Greek gods that show their face but that as far as the mythology goes. On mythology front it was disappointing. 

Romance between Triton and Sophie was alright, It was right any other romance in a romance book. Triton has offended Zeus by sleeping with his mistress and now he is stripped of his god powers and deposited on earth. He has to find a woman who is going to fall in love with him for him and not he’s god like gorgeous looks. Sophie refuses him at first, and thinks he is a male himbo. By the way I love that term himbo lol. Of course Triton falls for Sophie right away and she falls for him right away too. At first there is some resistance on her end because come on he is too pretty. 

Plot wise this was a very week story, there was not much going on other than Sophie trying renovate and open a Bad-and-Breakfast, and bit of trouble with her cousin Michael. Characters are not that deep or developed, but then again that is not the point of this book, romance and ever after is. So if you are in romance that does not require much brain power, and you like reading about Greek gods than this is a book for you. But if you are looking for soothing more involved with Greek mythology then this book will disappoint you. This is pure and simple about romance and se.., Triton just happens to be a minor Greek god. 

Overall this was OK read, it was fast and easy to read. I think that I am not in a mood for a mushy romance novels right now because if I was I would have enjoyed it more than I did. Also book description on NEtGalley sounded much better than it was, bit of a letdown. I give this book 2/5 STARS – Happy reading!!!